Stan Phelp's Blog

The Goldfish Chronicles

Sharing insights on customer experience, employee engagement, and brand strategy.

Beale’s Brewery announced a new beer called “Your Manager is Bitch”

YOUR MANAGER IS BITCH. This is a new beer from Beale’s Brewery. Notice the lack of an “A”? It was intentional. It was inspired by a customer who was refused service for not wearing a mask.

Here’s the email complaint:

Subject: Y’all suck

Message: Your manager is bitch and your
beer tastes like old hot OJ.

What would you do with this customer complaint? Apologize? Delete? Or would you take the Pink Goldfish route of Antagonizing?

Beale’s used it to call out inappropriate behavior and salute everyone in the service industry. They put the picture of their GM on the can and lauded her when launching it:

“Meet BC. She started with us as a server when Beale’s opened, worked her way up to bartender and now GM. She’s kept our team together throughout the past year, gracefully navigating every new challenge thrown her way. “

The back of the can shares a picture of the email with a note:

“This beer is a love letter to all of the service industry workers who, despite a global pandemic, endeavor each day to provide a safe, welcoming environment for their guests. While we can’t prevent verbal abuse… we will continue to call it out and stand with you.”
⁣
Takeaway: When life hands you old hot OJ, make an American Porter out of it.

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Stan Phelps walks the walk. He stands out in the sea of sameness by modeling his own Differentiated Experience (DX) message: Differentiation isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what you do and, more importantly, how and why you do it. Stan leverages his unique collection of 5,000+ case studies on customer, employee, and brand experience to engage audiences with informative learning-based experiences. He believes purposeful DX wins the hearts of employees and customers, and differentiation ultimately boosts loyalty, retention, referrals, and results.

Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw

You’ve just finished a business presentation. Perhaps it was a sales pitch, a conference presentation, or a divisional update. People nodded as you finished. Some may have come up and congratulated you on the pitch, update, or talk, so you’re feeling good. You’re convinced you did a good job communicating your message and you’re ready to see what big thing happens next.

But let’s assess the situation. How can you tell if the desired communication has taken place?

You can do so by answering these three questions:

1. Can your audience recall the central message, your One Thing?
2. Are they able to apply the message to their lives?
3. Did they understand the call to action and know what to do next?

Here’s the probable reality. If you are like most presenters, you likely missed the mark.

You bought into the myth of communication. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

The fact that you might be an ineffective presenter is most likely not your fault. You probably are emulating the hundreds, if not thousands of presentations you’ve seen. You may have also heard some bad advice for presenting.

Question: What horrible advice have you received?

In Silver Goldfish, co-author Alan Hoffler and I break down some crazy beliefs about presenting:

– You should stand with your arms crossed. (Or never cross your arms.)

– Never put your hands in your pockets. (Or hands in your pockets will make you look relaxed.)

– Open with a joke. (Or never use jokes.)

– Tell ’em what you’re gonna tell ’em. Tell ’em. Tell ’em what you told ’em.

– Look at spots on the wall behind your audience. (Next stop, optometrist—I’m seeing spots.)

– Imagine your audience naked. (Must be different audiences than we usually get.)

– Be you. (As though you had another option.)

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Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

Crip Camp and 17 Hours

“But couldn’t you try to marry someone who has polio instead?” This was a line from the recently Oscar-nominated doc “Crip Camp.”

The Netflix film chronicles a camp for children with disabilities in the 70s. More importantly, it shines a light on the disability movement inspired by those who spent summers there.

There is a touching moment where Neil Jacobson, who has cerebral palsy, shares, “One of the women counselors taught me how to kiss. One of the best physical therapies ever!” Jacobson would marry a fellow camper Denise Sherer later in life. She also has cerebral palsy and it was her mom that uttered the first line in this post.

The doc follows camp alums and others to fight for access. You can’t watch and not be in awe of their perseverance.

One more reco. Last Sunday (3/21) was Downs Syndrome Day. Downs occurs when the 21st chromosome uniquely triples. ESPN did a wonderful feature story on Chris Nikic. Last year Chris became the first person with Downs to be an IRONMAN triathlon finisher. It’s a wonderful story of both setting goals and striving for small (1% better) improvements.

At one point, Chris shares his written goals. In addition to the IRONMAN, a house, and a car, he wants to marry “a smoking hot blonde wife from Chicago.”

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Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

Justin Jones-Fosu is launching his latest book “The Inclusive Mindset” that examines how to cultivate diversity in our everyday lives

One of my favorite songs is from the musical “Wicked.” It’s called “For Good.” It comes at the end of the play when the two very different characters are reflecting on their difficult past and what they’ve learned.

My favorite part is:

“I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives
For a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led to those
Who help us most to grow if we let them.”

I was thinking of this song because my good friend and fellow speaker Justin Jones-Fosu is launching his latest book today. “The Inclusive Mindset” examines how to cultivate diversity in our everyday lives.

The book is excellent. Filled with stories, Justin advocates for a broader version of diversity. He challenges us to abandon a fixed mindset that looks at the issue as merely an initiative or executive mandate. His vision is to have everybody wrap their arms around it on a daily basis with a growth mindset.

The song “For Good” continues,

“And we help them in return
Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you.”

I am a better person for having met Justin nearly four years ago. And I’m honored to share Justin with you. Pick up his book today and share it.

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Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

Smart or Silly? Good Fortune Burger in Toronto renames menu items as office supplies

Smart or Silly? Good Fortune Burger in Toronto created a special #RECEATS sub-menu where you can order food labeled as office supplies. Here are some of the options on the limited-time menu:

Dry Erase Whiteboard (Chicken Burger)
Wired Earphones with Mic (Veggie Burger)
Silicone Keyboard Cover (Build your own Burger)

Need a beverage to wash down your tasty burger, Brett? Order a non-slip rubber mouse pad for $4.00 and get a Coke. A braided HDMI cable will get you some fries.

Rahul Agarwal (@rahul93k) questioned the policy on Instagram and shared some links to the Canadian Revenue Agency:
“Suggest that you look into CRA third-party penalties if you are seriously advocating for people to claim food as supplies.”

Comms strategy consultant Karthik Srinivasan commented,

“It clearly crosses the marketing line, into being ethically wrong. Besides that, when an employee is asked to explain,
(a) why he/she bought office supplies from a shop called ‘Good Fortune Burger’, and
(b) why he/she has been buying multiple steel staplers or silicone keyboard covers in the past few weeks
… the results are going to be not funny, for the employee.”

Smart or silly?

My take is both. #PinkGoldfish points for defying normal. Demerits for making it a limited-time stunt.

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Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

Dolly takes her own medicine

“All of you cowards out there – don’t be such a chicken squat. Get out there and get your shot.” – Dolly Parton

Two weeks ago, the famed country music singer literally took a bit of her own medicine. Last Spring Dolly gave $1 million to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center to help develop the Moderna vaccine.

And she did it her own Dolly way to flaunt the occasion. Parton adapted the lyrics to the song Jolene…

“Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine,
I’m begging of you, please don’t hesitate.
Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine,
because once you’re dead, then that’s a bit too late.”

Dolly shared a four-minute video of her getting the jab on Twitter. She quipped,

“I’m trying to be funny now, but I’m dead serious about the vaccine. I think we all want to get back to normal, whatever that is. And that would be a great shot in the arm, wouldn’t it, if we could get back to that?”

Parton’s public display was in stark contrast to our former President Trump. It recently surfaced that he and Melania both received the vaccine in private back in January at the White House. Hmmm…

Dolly puts it best:

“But anyhow, I just wanted to encourage everybody because the sooner we get to feeling better, the sooner we are going to get back to being normal.”

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Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

Getting to the heart of your employees involves wellness

Getting to the heart of your employees involves wellness. Little extras designed to support a healthy workplace and improve health outcomes. Because without health, we have nothing.

Part of being an effective leader is to stay in touch and manage the wellness of your team. In the past, that might have been accomplished through an “open door” policy.

In the book Green Goldfish 2.0, Lauren McGhee and I shared how organizations such as the Flour Bakery+Cafe have taken this ultra-seriously. None of their manager’s offices have doors.

Others such as the RAND Corporation maintain an open-door policy at all levels. Anyone can make an appointment with the CEO, exec team, or other VP’s.

But with remote working and/or in-person meeting constraints during a pandemic, you may be forced to find additional ways to connect and manage the wellness of your team.

Today, I gave a virtual presentation on employee engagement to Bright Horizons. During a few interviews to prepare for the session, I learned how they are using Virtual Office Hours once or twice a week during non-work hours. I thought it was a great idea for maintaining a connection and the spirit of an Open Door.

Question – How are you keeping your finger on the pulse of team wellness?

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Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

SuperDav embraces imperfection

Growing up in Ohio, Dave suffered from ADHD and dyslexia. Not so super. Dave was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hall many days.

Fortunately, Dave loved to draw and make up stories. He spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic book.

In the second grade, Dave created a comic book about a superhero in his underwear. His teacher ripped it up and told him he couldn’t spend the rest of his life making silly books.

Lucky for us Dave was not a very good listener. He continued to draw.

While in school, he began working at Pizza Hut as a waiter, he was issued a nametag with a missing “E.” He went with it and rebranded himself as Dav.

Our weird kid grew up to be Dav Pilkey.

Dav became the award-winning and best-selling author of the Captain Underpants series of children’s books. Today, his “Dog Man” series has 40 million copies in print has been translated into 40 languages.

But even as an adult, Dav is still encountering obstacles. His books have been banned from libraries and schools for being inappropriate. Parents and teachers don’t like the way his books encourage children to reject authority.

Takeaway – What makes us weird is also what makes us wonderful. Embrace imperfection and defy normal.

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Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

Intel takes a bite out of Apple

Intel Corporation gets chippy. In a series of five ads, they have engaged former Apple pitchman Justin Long to compare Mac products versus a PC.

What’s at the jilted heart of the matter? After decades of using Intel chips, Apple is now producing its own M1 chips. There is a rift in the Valley.

The antagonizing ads all start the same. “Hello, I’m a (pause) Justin . . . Just a real person doing a real comparison between Mac and PC.”

Long points out a variety of features on Intel PCs, including touchscreens, models flipping between tablet and laptop, multiple monitor plug-ins, and PC gaming support.

My favorite one is when he is looking at the functionality of a Lenovo Yoga PC. He flips it while saying,

“It’s a laptop, and (huh) a tablet, a laptop, a tablet, a laptop. Then he picks up the MacBook. “It’s a laptop and …”

Then in rapid succession someone hands him an iPad, a keypad, a stylus….

Just when his arms are full he gets one more item. His voice raises, “And a dongle!”

Questions – is it OK for Intel to take a bite at the Apple? Will this affect the non-compete clauses for Madison Avenue?

PS – Back in November, Apple reengaged the “PC” guy John Hodgman to talk about the M1 (here’s the video).

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Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

What makes you weak or flawed may hold the keys to what makes you awesome

Every weakness has a corresponding strength. What makes us weak can also make us strong.

Last week, David Rendall and I gave a keynote for the BC Economic Development Association Summit. We shared insights from Pink Goldfish.

For example, Vancouver is a great illustration of how weaknesses and strengths are connected.

On the negative side, Vancouver…
– has the worst traffic congestion in Canada.
– has the second most unaffordable housing on Earth.
– is the most densely populated Canadian city.

On the positive side, it…
– is one of the most livable cities.
– has the fourth highest quality of living.
– is the tenth cleanest city on Earth.

It’s easy to see how some of the city’s weaknesses are directly related to its strengths. Traffic congestion and unaffordable housing are due to the area’s quality of life. Everyone wants to live there.

Vancouver’s dense population is both positive and negative. For sustainability experts and city planners, density is one measure of a city’s success. However, if you’re from Greenland and you’re looking for some personal space, you’re not going to find it in Vancouver.

Takeaway: Own your imperfections. What makes you weak or flawed may hold the keys to what makes you awesome.

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Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.

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Hi, I’m Stan Phelps. I work with organizations that want to increase loyalty, drive sales, and promote positive word-of-mouth by creating differentiated experiences.

As an author, keynote speaker, and workshop facilitator, my in-person and virtual programs stand out in a sea of sameness because I model my own message of differentiated experience (DX).

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Stan Phelp's Blog

The Goldfish Chronicles

Beale’s Brewery announced a new beer called “Your Manager is Bitch”

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw

Crip Camp and 17 Hours

Smart or Silly? Good Fortune Burger in Toronto renames menu items as office supplies

Dolly takes her own medicine

Getting to the heart of your employees involves wellness

SuperDav embraces imperfection

Intel takes a bite out of Apple

What makes you weak or flawed may hold the keys to what makes you awesome

Find Your Best-Match Program

Meet Your Presenter

Every time we do business together, Something amazing happens in the world!

When someone downloads a GOLDFISH eBook, we give one brick toward building school facilities in Cambodia