ICEBERGThe most significant part of a brand often lies beneath the surface. What people see above the water – your logo, your website, your ads – that's just the tip. It's important, sure, but it's only about 15% of what your brand really is. The other 85%, the massive part underwater, is everything else: your purpose, vision, mission, and values. If that 85% isn't solid, if it's built on shaky foundations, that little tip on top isn't going to matter much. A strong brand needs a strong base, because eventually, people will dive deeper and experience the real you. That's what builds trust and loyalty – not just a pretty logo, but a solid iceberg of a brand. TREEIn order to provide desirable shade and delicious fruits, the root system must be healthy and planted in fertile soil. The trunk, branches, leaves, and flowers/fruits - what people see - are collectively your logo, products, website, storefront, employees, brochures, etc. Yes, they must be “delicious and desirable” in order to attract consumers. But those things need to be rooted in a strong and fertile foundation. And that foundation is the much needed clarity in your brand’s purpose, vision, mission, and values. Spend time building a strong foundation and watch your brand spread its reach. HUMANA healthy body requires a robust internal system.
You can put on the best clothes, the most stylish shoes, and the perfect makeup, but if you're not healthy on the inside – if your heart isn't strong, your bones aren't sturdy, and your mind isn't sharp – it won't matter. People will see right through it. A brand is the same way. You can have the sleekest logo, the most engaging website, and the most persuasive ads, but if you don't have strong values, and a clear purpose, vision and mission, it's just a facade. People will sense the inauthenticity and move on. Limited ViewSometimes we limit our view unknowingly by looking through a small window. Similarly, if a business/organization focuses solely on quick revenue and neglects long-term growth strategies, it misses the big picture. One way of widening the window is identifying your "good mattress" (e.g., the tangible offering like a product or service consumers pay for) and your "good night's sleep" (e.g., the emotional value). Egocentric ViewSometimes we get too hung up on our personal agendas and see ourselves as the only problem solver. Similarly, if a business owner or an organization leader prioritizes personal benefits and fails to recognize team dynamics for overall success, he/she misses the big picture. Neither would a company wants their employees to be driven only by a paycheck. Create shared experiences within the company/organization (e.g., celebrating employment anniversaries, individual or collective achievements) will help everyone deepen the relational dynamics. Contextual ViewSometimes we fail to change our perspective and consider other possible points of view.
Similarly, if a business/organization gets buried in the day-to-day and does not spend time looking at customer data and industry trends, it misses the big picture. Acknowledge team members' contribution in their area of expertise while helping them appreciate what others bring to the table. If you have participated in my workshops or have worked with me on brand development, you will know that I am a big picture person.
I love to find patterns in complex processes and will attempt to make sense of it through pictures and with minimal text. While a picture is worth a thousand words, we are all unique and may interpret what we see differently. I will be publishing in this Facebook album illustrations that explore key brand concepts and strategies, and inviting people to share what it means to them. Branding can be complex but it is my hope that through illustrations, we can spark creativity, ignite conversation, and help each other discover meaningful branding and marketing strategies. DEMYSTIFYING BRANDING WITH five key questionsBrand development along with the nuts-&-bolts of starting and running a business are critical knowledge any business owners should have under their tool belt. As part of a 12-week entrepreneurship academy organized by the OIC Business Academy (OIC-BA) funded by the OKC Black Justice Fund, two sessions starting March 12 will be devoted to demystifying the often misunderstood concept of branding. Branding is an expensive and tedious process and Vincent Lee, one of the facilitators at the OIC-BA, aims to empower start-up and small business owners with five key questions to get branding done right from the get-go. “I am looking forward to meeting the many aspiring Black/African American business leaders who want to do their part in making an impact in the society,” Vincent said. CLICK FOR THE ARTICLE IN THE OKLAHOMAN "Black Oklahomans may apply for entrepreneurship academy in January" Vincent Lee. Author, Brand Strategist, and Coach For the past 20 years, Vincent has straddled life and work between Singapore and Oklahoma City. Along the way, he has shown clients on several continents how they can become the master of their brand and move their company into space traditionally taken by huge corporations. As an author of an upcoming book “One Game Changer to Boost Your Business. Use the B.R.A.N.D.™ System to Go Deeper so can you Go Further”, Vincent continues to be a brand evangelist and advocate for his clients, while also devoting his time towards inspiring young minds to uncover and define their brand in life. MEDIA CONTACT: Vincent Lee [email protected] 405-596-3451 PIVOTING DURING THE PANDEMICStraddling Singapore and the U.S. for the last twenty years, two major events with global impact bookmarked my journey as a Singaporean living in Oklahoma. The first was the September 11 attacks that almost hindered my return to the U.S. to complete my college education. The second was when coronavirus invaded Asia during my yearly visit to the land of the Crazy Rich Asians. Having survived three career-shaping employment as an immigrant seeking permanency in the U.S., the pandemic challenged the journey I thought I was on as a brand strategist and designer. COVID-19 asked me with a sneer, “So you think you can continue supporting your family doing what you are so passionate about now?” I have always been passionate about helping small business owners since they don’t always have the budget to hire advertising and marketing agencies for brand development services. Clients’ budget cuts during the pandemic put a dent in my plan. While my revenue as a solopreneur was affected, coronavirus has not taken away my time, my knowledge, and thankfully, my health. The formulation of a book about branding was thus conceived in December 2019. Writing the book has not only allowed me to fine-tune the methodology I used with past clients, it began a personal journey of revisiting my own story and telling them with pixels and words. I have in the last eleven months gained greater clarity about my identity and brand, while being able to connect with business owners and leaders as I interviewed them for content and to learn from their personal and business stories. The Power of FlexibilityIn an interview by Karina Michel Feld of Authority Magazine, I was asked several thought-provoking questions as part of a series called "How I Was Able to Pivot to a New Exciting Opportunity because of the Pandemic". There are two particular questions that resonated with what I believe is my core value; one of five things I talk about in the upcoming book. Here are the excerpt from Karina's interview: AUTHORITY MAGAZINE: Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much? It’s the film “Into the Wild”, adapted from a book of the same title. It tells the story of Christopher McCandless who abandoned all his possessions, burned the cash he had on him, hitchhiked across America, and found momentary contentment with isolation and living off the land. He kept a diary of his thoughts as he survived for more than 110 days on rice, edible plants, and any wild animals he could hunt with a .22-caliber rifle. While there are varying theories as to the cause of his death in the back country near Denali in 1992, what struck me is one of Christopher’s diary entries, “Happiness is only real when shared.” Christopher took two years to reach that revelation but did not get to live out the happiness he sought for. Carine McCandless later revealed that her brother’s behavior and sudden departure stemmed from domestic violence and abuse while growing up. I watched that film in Singapore while visiting my parents right when COVID-19 hit Asia. I recalled sitting in silence as the film credits rolled over my reflection on the TV screen. My childhood pales in comparison to the McCandless but memories of the fear of being hurt by loan sharks flooded my mind. There was no memory of happiness during that time in my life and I remember hating my father. The decision to leave Singapore in 2000 to finish my last year in college as a full-time student was partly triggered by a desire to find my own happiness. I am thankful to be able to say this, that happiness has and will continue to be real because of the people I am sharing it with, which includes my parents. AUTHORITY MAGAZINE: If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? Many people are trying to find happiness in the wrong places; from buying and accumulating material things to seeking acceptance or affection from every person they meet. Uncovering one’s personal brand is, at the end of the day, all about discovering one’s unique path to happiness. I want to motivate and walk alongside someone to identify their ultimate purpose and value in life, which will help them align the necessary relationships (eg. family, friends, co-workers, mentors, customers, clients) and behaviors (eg. career, hobby, processes, habits) in the same direction. And as they seek alignment between their purpose, values, relationships, and behaviors, they can bring along with them another person and do the same. Happiness is not the destination, it is the journey. And that journey should be a fun road trip; one that we call life! HAPPINESS IS ONLY REAL WHEN SHAREDChristopher, also known by the pseudonym Alexander Supertramp, lived for two years under his new identity and realized that the happiness he was seeking during his wild escapade could only be real when shared with someone. His entry in the diary will forever be engraved in my mind as I considered what drives me as I seek happiness: What drives me is being able to go through the valleys and byways with someone... when we can be vulnerable and yet, not be afraid because we have a road trip buddy. What drives me is being able to share the peaks and highways with someone... when we can celebrate together, even if it means simply enjoying the wind in our face and the beauty before our eyes in silence. Published with permission from Authority Magazine and Thrive Global.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW FIVE THINGS I WISH SOMEONE TOLD ME BEFORE I BECOME A SOLOPRENEUR
It's been over a year since I was in the "middle of the world" on an initial brand analysis exercise for ADSE. An interview by Authority Magazine got me going down memory lane as I recounted the "Aha moment" that revealed a passion in me to teach as an author and brand strategist. It was two months before COVID-19 turn the world upside down and a localized, but equally devastating situation was turning the world of Ecuadorians upside down. President Lenin Moreno had just decided to remove a four-decade-old fuel subsidies, which crippled the nation straddling the equator as protestors block roads and highways. UNDERSTANDING THE ROOTSDuring the time spent with ADSE and the community she is in, we uncovered three core values that I believe stem from the legacy of five missionaries; Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Peter Fleming, Ed McCully, and Roger Youderian. Their martyrdom in 1956 in the hands of the Waodani tribe triggered a wave of evangelistic efforts into the Amazon jungles. The Mission Aviation Fellowship, through Nate Saint as her first missionary in Shell, had been bringing the Gospel and life-sustaining resources into the jungle through flights, communications, and other logistics since 1948. The work of supporting missionaries, local churches, and villages continues with ADSE since 1986. While the pandemic may have affected and slowed down the organization, I believe that the work God started has not ceased. My AHA MOMENTWorking with ADSE during the civil unrest has been an eye-opener. As I walked the line dividing different cultures, I learn the importance of contextualizing the universal concept of branding for local relevancy. I love the process of learning about ADSE and figuring out the best way to communicate the discovery and strategy to the leaders and staff who are mostly from a different culture. I have always enjoyed working one-on-one with business owners as we develop or redefine their brands. Pivoting my approach, many thanks to the pandemic, I want to extend my reach through coaching groups within companies (beyond just the owners) and helping them understand that a powerful and memorable brand is built from within and as a team. More importantly, the underlying drive for the work and ministry of ADSE has reminded me of what God has called all His children to do. Whether we are flying planes, developing brands, or formulating marketing strategies, it is ultimately about making Him known. And that work is never finished until Christ comes again. November 15, 2020: Karina Michel Feld of Authority Magazine interviewed me as part of a series called "How I Was Able to Pivot to a New Exciting Opportunity because of the Pandemic". The same interview was also featured on Thrive Global on December 3, 2020. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW A 2400-mile STORY As I coach business leaders in uncovering their personal brand while developing their business one, this is one of five parts to my own brand story using the B.R.A.N.D. System. As you get to know me a little better, may this story inspires you to consider how your own experiences in life is foundational to your unique brand. Watch this introduction video before continuing below. THE FULLER STORY ...In 2017, a friend and I started a 14-day drive across the country of Mexico in a car we named Yasmin. It was a much-anticipated road trip, one without a specific route. Just one with a start and an endpoint. We have different reasons for making this trip. I was running away from a broken heart. He was running towards an unrequited one. I hurt and was hurt by another friend. I was physically tired but more so, emotionally drained. When my friend told me about the drive he was going making to South America, 2,400 miles sounded like a great distance to separate myself from the source of pain. My friend's agenda was more permanent as he was making this one-way trip to a new life and hopefully, to a once blossoming and much-desired love. The plan was simple: (1) We have a starting point, which is Aurora Illinois. (2) We have an ending point, which is Tapachula Chiapas where my friend will continue on to South America and I fly back to the U.S. (3) We have a car which promises good fuel efficiency. She is a Toyota Yaris, which inspired us to name her Yasmin. Our trip hit a major roadblock in Texas when we were warned that driving into Mexico with a temporary vehicle tag will spell trouble for two foreigners. It was the weekend and we had to stay on U.S. soil while waiting for Yasmin's permanent license plate to arrive on Monday. Let me remind you that our plan was simple and low-budget. We were ready to pitch a tent, stay in a cheap hostel, or sleep in Yasmin. After knocking on the doors of a local church and a fire station, we were graciously offered free lodging by Father Jim at a Roman Catholic church called Our Lady of Refuge. That's where we got to know our beloved nun, sister Maria. Between projects we volunteered to help her with and conversations about our crazy road trip through Mexico, she ultimately entrusted us with gifts for her family in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. Since we don't have a specific route, Sister Maria's assignment gave us an excuse for a pitstop after Yasmin got adorned with her new bling. When we delivered the gifts to Sister Maria's family, we were ready to continue on our trip. However, after some conversation over a shot or two of tequila, we were served lunch and brought on a tour of the city center. Nothing beats seeing a place through the eyes of locals! And when we thought it was time to bid goodbye, our new friends offered us a night's stay in their home and invited us to a private concert by a local band! Our time in this foreign city wrapped up nicely listening to music and getting our fill of food and tequila under the stars. We were blown away by the hospitality, which fueled our drive further south with a buzz from the heart-warming experience. In sharp contrast was our heart-pounding encounter a few days later somewhere in Oaxaca. "Somewhere" was exactly where we thought we were because our search for a specific campsite with unclear directions from locals kept us driving past sunset. Against our better judgment, we kept driving in the dark with hopes to see some signs of civilization. With only a few feet of visibility on the dark winding mountain roads, the drive was mind-numbing with turn after turn after turn… until I saw some blinking red and blue lights from the corner of my eyes. Before I could tell my friend about it, our headlights illuminated two human forms running right across us and he slammed on the brakes. We stared ahead of us with held-breath as I could have sworn the thumping of our hearts was louder than Yasmin's rumbling. The settling dust was the only calming sight as my head made the possible connection between the flashing lights and the infamous Mexican police. My fear materialized in the form of a uniformed officer tapping on our window and a flurry of tense conversation between my friend and two police officers ensued. I didn't understand a lick of Spanish but one could only imagine the worst when you almost ran over the law enforcers. Between the quivering voice of my friend and an endless examination of documents, I said to myself, "This is it Vincent... we're going to be locked up and disappeared from the face of the earth." All I could do was pray, and pray hard to God for deliverance. What was about 20 minutes of interrogation felt like an eternity. A slight change in the officers' tone from intimidation to firmness caught my attention as my friend told me they were asking for a monetary fine. We actually drove away from this harrowing encounter with a firm warning and USD40 poorer! A ROAD TRIP CALLED LIFEThese were some of many moments along our 2,400 miles route through Mexico, not discounting the other experiences we have had on this 14-day road trip. Every highs and lows we had, every dollar and peso spent (including the fine), and every mile and minute logged was well worth it! And such is the road trip we call ‘life’. One with peaks and valleys, with highways and byways, and ultimately, one with a final destination. What is driving us forward despite the valleys and the byways? Are we only fueled by peaks and highways? Do we only seek the highs so that we can look good on social media? Do we avoid the lows and brush them under the carpet of our memory? D: WHAT DRIVES ME?My momentary escape southwards gave me a renewed perspective as I ponder the question, “What drives me to stay on track in life?”. We are relational beings and will always cross paths with people throughout our lifetime. I hold onto a few close relationships tightly. Sometimes too tightly. Expecting things to always be the same is never realistic and imposing unclear expectations on others will only lead to heartbreak and disappointment. I have learned that some relationships will stick while others may just be there for a season. I am learning to expect less of others to meet my needs and expect more of myself to meet the needs of others. People may not return in kind, and that's okay. What drives me is being able to go through the valleys and byways with someone... when we can be vulnerable and yet, not be afraid because we have a road trip buddy. What drives me is being able to share the peaks and highways with someone... when we can celebrate together, even if it means simply enjoying the wind in our face and the beauty before our eyes in silence. Ultimately, what drives me is being able to be in solitude with God and His creation... when He reveals to me the kindness of strangers and the mercy of law enforcers, and when He gives me courage to restore broken relationships and boldness to love unconditionally. This is one of many stories I tell. This is part of my B.R.A.N.D. story. If you are a business owner seeking to make your brand more memorable, it starts with you and your personal brand story. The B.R.A.N.D. System is created as a self-directed tool for you to uncover five key components of your personal brand, which will start you on the journey towards mastering your business brand.
CRAZY RICH OKIEPOREANI come from the land of the 'Crazy Rich Asians' but I am not rich by definition of the movie. The many decisions I have made, including traveling across time zones and making Oklahoma City a second home, are considered by some ‘crazy’. However, I have embraced those decisions and learned that it is more important that our day-to-day actions point towards our ultimate purpose in life. I am rich but in a different sense of the word. I am the Crazy Rich Okieporean. Watch this introduction video before continuing below. THE FULLER STORY ...With a one-way ticket, two suitcases, and three stops, I flew almost 20 hours across multiple time zones and arrived in Oklahoma City in the year 2000, a place I only knew about because of the Federal building bombing in 1995. I left my home country of Singapore with an open-ended agenda; ready to fully immerse into college life as a full-time student and welcome any opportunities with open arms upon graduation. "What opportunities?" you might ask. If you know the Oklahoma City of the early 2000s in comparison to the opulence of Singapore, Okieland is not a land flowing with milk and honey at that time. So call me crazy for giving up living in a vibrant metropolitan city and moving to a developing one, where some still think Indians and cowboys roam the land on horses. In fact, I am kind of crazy and I am an Asian. Just not rich like the people in the movie. I have never been the 'norm' by the standards of society or my parents when it comes to my pursuit in life. I AM NOT THE 'NORM'My enrollment in a trade school as a young adult instead of pursuing a college degree immediately after secondary education was to my rich relative, an educational suicide. While three years spent getting an engineering diploma sounded like a waste of time and money, that was when my spiritual foundation was established with a group of Christians in a student-led faith-based ministry. After that, I signed a six-year civil service contract as a law enforcement officer instead of serving a shorter military term (all Singaporean male must be in active service as a full-time National Serviceman) for two reasons. One, I don’t like training for war in hot humid jungle and rather be fighting real crime on the streets. Two, I wanted a more predictable work schedule to pursue a degree that I wanted for a job in the creative industry. Besides having good undercover crime fighting stories to tell, the six years in law enforcement has exposed me to team training and project management skills, which I still employ now. My current side-hustle at a grocery chain while being a solopreneur of a brand coaching business and an author of an upcoming book sounded like the making of a starving-artist story. You will be surprised to hear that the two years of being in a grocery store has taught me more about branding than the 10 plus years spent as an in-house marketing professional. That’s another story for another time. And my current stage of singleness is one that baffles many. “Why are you not married?” and “You should have tons of children by now.” are typical reactions from Asians (and some Westerners) I meet. However, nothing beats the passive-aggressive question from my mom. She would ask in Hokkien (one of the many dialects of the Chinese language), “Do you have any friends?” . And in response I would say, “Of course I have tons of friends!” while knowing very well what she was hinting at. A: PURPOSE DRIVEN ACTIONSReflecting on my actions in the last 30 years, I have learned to be less concern with whether I have made a right or a wrong decision. And as I straddle between my two homes on a yearly basis, the decisions that I continue to make are also strangely inspired by the different time zones. When I am in Singapore, I will be aware that it is yesterday in Oklahoma. That kind of put me in a reflective state of mind where I learn to look back with no regrets. When I am in Oklahoma City, I take on another mindset of looking forward with anticipation because my home country is always about 12 to 14 hours ahead of the western hemisphere. Those mindsets frame what I must absolutely do every day as I make sure my day-to-day actions are pointing toward my ultimate business in life. Even though I am not rich by definition of a crazy rich Asian, I do feel rich because of the people I have gotten to know and the relationships which I want to continue surrounding myself with. And I want my day-to-day action to be all about that, whether I am a brand strategist or a grocery store worker, a single person or a married one. I feel rich because of an all-knowing God who knew me before He formed me in my mother’s womb, a God who set me apart before I was born. (Jeremiah 1:5). And I want my day-to-day action to be in anticipation of that kind of future; a future that I have full assurance of, even if there may not be total clarity. So, I am rich in a different sense of the word. And that makes me a crazy rich Okieporean; an Oklahoman by residential status and a Singaporean by citizenship. This is one of many stories I tell. This is part of my B.R.A.N.D. story. If you are a business owner seeking to make your brand more memorable, it starts with you and your personal brand story. The B.R.A.N.D. System is created as a self-directed tool for you to uncover five key components of your personal brand, which will start you on the journey towards mastering your business brand.
REAL-WORLD ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS IN AND OUT OF A CLASSROOMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 15, 2020 While online shopping may have become more of a norm during this pandemic, young adults from F.A.C.T. (Family Awareness and Community Teamwork) of the Oklahoma City Police Department recently gathered at a mall as part of a 9-week long Entrepreneurship Program. This field trip was not for retail therapy but a challenge to study strategies adopted by retailers to reach their customers. The 18-20-year-olds were placed in an environment they are familiar with but asked to put on the lens of a business owner as they learn entrepreneurial skills. "We naturally think of and react to marketing and advertising like a consumer," Vincent Lee, one of the program's coaches explained. "But as future business owners, we hope to train these youths to think like an entrepreneur." The students were asked to observe all aspects of marketing and advertising; from colors to the logo, from store layout to sensory experience, and from signage to staff interaction. "It was fun to see the students apply their new knowledge of marketing and strategy as they analyzed stores they have been in dozens of times before." Taylor Wood, Volunteer Coordinator of the F.A.C.T Unit observed. "I strongly believe the skills and knowledge they have learned will be beneficial as many of them are transitioning from high school to college or directly to the full-time work force." Business leaders like CPA and Process Improvement Specialist are also invited to the class to help the students understand the resources needed for the health and growth of their own business. "The goal of the program is to paint a real-world picture of the business world for our students," Rob Miles, creator of the Thousand Paces Roadmap System and this Entrepreneurship Program said. "I'm very grateful to be a part of this program. I've taken in a lot of basic and important information that I wish I would've had the chance to learn in high school, like the type of bank accounts we're offered, taxes, investments, savings, budgeting, and taking risk." Abigail G., one of the students shared. The program will end in a few more weeks with the possibility of helping a handful of students apply the knowledge to actual business ideas these young future entrepreneurs have. Rob Miles. Founder of Thousand Paces Thousand Paces helps small businesses and entrepreneurs find and determine their next milestones using their “Roadmap” system. Through this system, they help business owners secure funding for their venture, launch a new company, or navigate the structure of an existing company to overcome the peaks and valleys. The founder, Rob Miles, realized a blind spot in the banking system and started Thousand Paces to help small businesses navigate the complexities of commercial lending. Rob created the roadmap system to ensure all commercial loans also “fit” in line with the clients’ purpose and budget. It proved to be such a useful tool that it is now used in college classes at USAO, high school level classes with F.A.C.T., and all of Thousand Paces’ clients. Vincent Lee. Author, Brand Strategist, and Coach For the past 20 years, Vincent has straddled life and work between Singapore and Oklahoma City. Along the way, he has shown clients on several continents how they can become the master of their brand and move their company into space traditionally taken by huge corporations. As an author of an upcoming book “One Game Changer to Boost Your Business. Use the B.R.A.N.D.™ System to Go Deeper so can you Go Further”, Vincent continues to be a brand evangelist and advocate for his clients, while also devoting his time towards inspiring young minds to uncover and define their brand in life. MEDIA CONTACT: Rob Miles [email protected] 405-702-2005 or Vincent Lee [email protected] 405-596-3451 YOUTHS LEARNING ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS BEYOND THE COLLEGE CLASSROOM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 8, 2020 On his first day teaching at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Rob Miles found very few of his students knew what they wanted to do when they graduate. And for the handful who did, they had unrealistic expectations of the real-world. Being an entrepreneur himself, Miles created a program that would give students real-world exposure to the reality of owning and operating a business. As the founder of Thousand Paces, Miles also believes in giving back to the community. When Miles was introduced to F.A.C.T. (Family Awareness and Community Teamwork), he developed an entrepreneurship program to fit the needs of the F.A.C.T. students. F.A.C.T. is a community outreach program of the Oklahoma City Police Department aiming to mentor at-risk youth. “My goal is for the students to come out of the class with the understanding and confidence to open their own business, but I would be just as happy if they find their passion focusing on a single aspect of a business, such as finance or marketing.” Miles shared. Miles has collaborated with Vincent Lee, a brand strategist and coach, to aid in the program. Lee, who like Miles, believes in inspiring and educating young minds. Together, Miles and Lee are bringing their real-world experiences in banking and branding respectively. Through dual efforts they are teaching the students how to:
“Teaching the how-tos of business development, branding, financing, and marketing is the easy part,” Lee explained. “Helping students see their potential, despite their circumstances, is the true driver to what we do.” Derrick Sier, the Program Coordinator of F.A.C.T. stated, “The entrepreneur program provided by Thousand Paces has not only introduced the concept of business ownership and product development but has provided classroom and field application. It takes an idea from concept to implementation; immediately applicable to whatever individual idea the participant may have.” Rob Miles. Founder of Thousand Paces Thousand Paces helps small businesses and entrepreneurs find and determine their next milestones using their “Roadmap” system. Through this system, they help business owners secure funding for their venture, launch a new company, or navigate the structure of an existing company to overcome the peaks and valleys. The founder, Rob Miles, realized a blind spot in the banking system and started Thousand Paces to help small businesses navigate the complexities of commercial lending. Rob created the roadmap system to ensure all commercial loans also “fit” in line with the clients’ purpose and budget. It proved to be such a useful tool that it is now used in college classes at USAO, high school level classes with F.A.C.T., and all of Thousand Paces’ clients. Vincent Lee. Author, Brand Strategist, and Coach For the past 20 years, Vincent has straddled life and work between Singapore and Oklahoma City. Along the way, he has shown clients on several continents how they can become the master of their brand and move their company into the space traditionally taken by huge corporations. As an author of an upcoming book “One Game Changer to Boost Your Business. Use the B.R.A.N.D.™ System to Go Deeper so can you Go Further”, Vincent continues to be a brand evangelist and advocate for his clients, while also devoting his time towards inspiring young minds to uncover and define their brand in life. MEDIA CONTACT: Rob Miles [email protected] 405-702-2005 or Vincent Lee [email protected] 405-596-3451 Seeing double
I decided to use a real advertisement to illustrate a point about branding when teaching a group of youths (aged 18 - 20 years old) who is part of an entrepreneurship program hosted by the Oklahoma City Police Department.
The above print advertisement truly belongs to one of the companies; Nike or Adidas and below is the video revealing the answer and the lessons taught.
ADSE UNCOVEREDADSE has been in operation since 1986 and with changes in society and leadership, any established business should regularly revisit their vision, mission, and value (ie. collectively known as the culture of a company) to remember what drives her. Beyond plastering posters everywhere displaying the culture of the company, it takes creativity on the part of leadership to inculcate within their team members the importance of living and breathing those invisible aspects. The invisible aspects of a business are the roots and soil that affects her ability to product delicious fruits and desirable shade; the visible aspects. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE It is also easy for a company to react to needs with new services or products (ie. offering) without seeing if they are in line with her values. While it might appear like “a good thing to do”, doing a few things well is better than trying to balance too many things poorly. During the 12-day of civil unrest in the country, ADSE’s reaction to the situation shed light on some deeply rooted values that I encouraged the organization to embrace and amplify. VALUING UNITYWhen news that violent protestors were coming through Shell, ADSE was quick to move their team members and immediate family to a safer gated community and away from the main streets. The first night was spent together with other Christians in the neighborhood, where a meal was shared and prayers were offered for peace and safety. Everyone knew that they can remain in the different homes within that community for as long as it was needed. VALUING INTEGRITYThankfully, Shell did not see the level of violence as experienced in neighboring towns. And since she has an airstrip used by ADSE and other aviation services, several tourists were seeking help to get to the international airport in Quito with hopes to leave the country. Instead of turning the tourists away because her smaller planes cannot meet the needs, ADSE started looking for higher-capacity aircrafts from other companies to get the foreigners to their destination. Furthermore, despite pressure from various service providers to charge the tourists a lot more money, ADSE refused to take advantage of the situation and only bill sufficiently to meet her operational needs. VALUING SOULSADSE was to fly a tourist to Quito right when the civil unrest began. She was offered refuge at the gated community since ADSE was not able to fly out of Shell. “I feel better being with strangers now than being stranded alone,” commented B when she evacuated ADSE’s hangar with the team members. As the roads were impassable causing food supplies to grow thin as the situation dragged out, the faith community remained mindful about sharing resources with each other. In addition, some of them made a point to visit and support local restaurants and stores who chose to remain open. As a result, relationships were deepened in the midst of the crisis. THE VALUES THAT DRIVE YOUHealthy roots are critical for a tree to continue growing and bearing fruits. Similarly, an organization's values will continue to guide and inspire what she offers, how she behaves, and how customers experience the brand. Values that go beyond profitability should also apply to for-profit businesses. Would you do business with a company whose sole purpose is to make money? If you put yourself in the shoes of your ideal customers and what they see as important, you will appreciate the power of the invisible aspects of your business. Defining the core values (keep it to no more than five please) and modeling the behaviors driven by these values will set you apart as an exemplary leader and set your business on the path towards building a community of brand advocates. Continue with Part 3 as we uncover the roots ADSE.
STORY OF MY LOVE AFFAIRSThis is one of many stories I have been telling for as long as I have been in the U.S. and navigating the country's immigration system from an international student to an immigrant worker to now, a permanent resident (ie. green card holder). Watch this introduction video before continuing below. THE FULLER STORY ...Shortly after I graduated from college early 2000, I found my first love. I had a good feeling. She is committed and I am committed. We can build a life together! We even have a ring (aka green card application) being customized at the shop. However, she got very sick during the global financial crisis of 2007 & 2008. I wasn't by her side when she told the news to many of our mutual friends behind closed doors. We got to say our goodbyes when I spent the last few days watching her drift away. As I tried to pick up the pieces of my life, another person came into the picture. I have known her for many years prior to my first marriage and our evolving relationship felt like a rebound. A whirlwind of activities followed as my new and exciting life with my second love started to take shape. With new documents proofing our relationship in hand, I returned to my home country to visit my aging parents. And like always, I would go to the U.S. Embassy in Singapore to apply for a re-entry permit in my passport. "You cannot return to the U.S. and need to reapply after a year," an immigration officer told me at the embassy. I stared at the stone-faced officer as the hopes of returning to my life in the U.S. greyed out like the memory wall of an evicted Big Brother houseguest. No ifs-and-or-buts. One month turned to three as I kept in touch with my second love, explaining the ordeal and assuring her that I will find my way back home to her. After some legal services and congressional activities, I got approved to re-enter the U.S.! However, she has been cheating on me; or at least that's how I felt. Two weeks before my return, she told me on the phone that I am not coming back to a job. I was in shock. I pleaded for an answer, for more time, or at least, for us to talk about it after I return to the U.S. The moment I set foot on U.S. soil, I called her. I needed answers to the growing list of questions flooding my mind during the 20+ hours of transcontinental flight between Singapore and the U.S. "I don't want to talk about it," was all I can remember her saying. It hurts man. After almost being robbed of a chance to return to my home in the U.S., I was faced with another possibility of uprooting my life. While licking my wounds, I quickly jumped back into the dating scene. Yes, I was desperate and I was not ready to give up on love. Third time's the charm, some say, and my third love couldn't have come at a better time. I wanted to say that I got wiser. We both agreed on a verbal equivalent of a prenup and started a mutually beneficial relationship. Granted like in any relationship, we have our ups and downs, but it was a blast! I have forgotten about our agreement... until the ring showed up four years later. If you remember, the "ring" was the green card application from my first employer. If you have not gone through the process, you may not understand the complexity but this approved green card is legit. Okay, now back to the love story. The ring became the white elephant in the room. For several months, it kept asking me, “Vincent, is this your time to move on, or is this third love your happily-ever-after?" Well, I wrote a letter to my third love saying, "It's time, my dear. I treasure our relationship, like all the ones I have had. But I am ready to get on the road on my own. I have not given up on love, just ending this one... to find myself.” 15 years 3 relationshipsIn case you have not already figured out, the love affairs are really three employee-employer relationships during the first 15 years spent in the U.S. between graduating from college to starting my own business. This is not a story of love affairs at work. It’s my love story in relation to work in the U.S. as an immigrant. And like any human relationship, hearts will be broken as much as lifted up when your legal status as an immigrant is at the mercy of your employers. But I know that I am not defeated as long as I still have breath in my lungs and passion in my heart. B: MY BUSINESS FOR EXISTENCEI value these character-shaping careers as they have caused me to ask myself "What is my ultimate business in life? ". Yes, getting the U.S. Permanent Residency status was my goal, which explains why I kept trying to remain in the system as a legal immigrant through employment. Becoming a green card holder is a mission that kept me focus on a short-term goal between 2000 and 2013. It became a means to my ultimate desire to maintain the friendships I have formed and deepen a handful of those beyond pleasantries. Losing my first job did not take away the rich relationships I have built with people at and outside of work. Being replaced at my second job did not take away my skills and ability to continue pursuing the career I wanted elsewhere. And leaving my third job is not an act of sticking-it-to-the-man but a desire to step out of my comfort zone, challenge myself, and take care of the people I love. Those times were hard; mentally and emotionally. But my Savior Jesus has put specific friends in my life to keep me on track with His ultimate plan for me. I want to nurture those relationships so that I can continue to be inspired by them while discovering more about the Author and Perfecter of my faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2) This is just one of many stories I tell. This is part of my B.R.A.N.D. story. If you are a business owner seeking to make your brand more memorable, it starts with you and your personal brand story. The B.R.A.N.D. System is created as a self-directed tool for you to uncover five key components of your personal brand, which will start you on the journey towards mastering your business brand.
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