Debbie Millman has been named “one of the most creative people in business” by Fast Company, and “one of the most influential designers working today” by Graphic Design USA, Debbie Millman is also an author, educator, curator, and host of the podcast Design Matters. For 20 years, Debbie was the President of Sterling Brands, one of the world’s leading branding consultancies. She arrived there in 1995 when the company was two years old and had 15 employees in one office. Under her leadership, Sterling grew to 150 employees in five offices and she was instrumental in the firm’s acquisition by Omnicom in 2008.

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The Learning Leader Show

  • Visual Storytelling is the art of using language and images to convey a narrative account of real or imagined events.
  • How to make an effective presentation? You must know it thoroughly. Practice, rehearse. Get to the point where you can let it flow when you’re in it.
    • Don’t just read what’s on the slide. Use at most one sentence. Use images to help reinforce your message
  • “Life is so difficult when you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
  • Ideas are easy… Strategies are hard. You need to understand that a presentation is a performance.
  • Teaching forces you to learn your topic. If you want to learn about something, sign up to teach others about it.
  • “I once read that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I fundamentally disagree with this idea. I think that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of hope.”
  • “A brand is simply a set of beliefs. And if you don’t create a set of beliefs around your products or services, well, you stand for nothing – you have no values and no vision.”
  • “Actually – and ironically – people aren’t really interested in a new brand form or flavor as much as they are interested in how a brand can change, impact, or improve their lives. They want brands around them that make them feel special and provide some social cache or confidence.”
  • Interviewing is like a game of billiards. Each question should leave you in a position to hit the next shot/ask the next question. Be overprepared so that you can flow in the moment.
    • “You have to listen and really focus on the person.”
    • Research everything
  • Courage and confidence – The reps lead to confidence. Confidence leads to courage.
  • Branding –“Branding is a deliberate differentiation.” Brands aspire for consistency.
  • “You can’t metabolize regret.” — Go for it.
  • At age 50, Debbie came out… And felt so much freedom from it
  • “Don’t edit your hopes and dreams before you can ever attempt them.”
  • Apply to be part of my Leadership Circle

Resources:

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