Anyone who’s set foot in the Berkshires this summer knows that it has been a soggy season, to say the least. Rain? Must be a day ending in Y.
The weather did nothing to curb attendance at our most recent event at Winstanley Partners, though, nor did the early morning hour. Perhaps this prolonged monsoon in which we’ve found ourselves had us ready to shake our water-logged brains awake.
Last week, the agency played host to Berkshire Business Quarterly and its recurring ‘Visionary Breakfast’ series. It’s an event-based extension of the publication, featuring speakers highlighted in recent issues. The mag profiled Nate Winstanley, our president and founder, in the third-quarter issue, and later asked if he’d present to the business community.
The crew from BBQ arrived at the Winstanley offices bright and early on a Wednesday morning, armed with coffee, crisp new issues of the magazine, and a lengthy RSVP list.
“We even had to turn people away,” said Jen, one of my contacts at BBQ, as she scanned her clipboard and organized a pile of sticky nametags.
Indeed, not long after Jen made the remark, guests started streaming through the front door, stopping in the parlor for muffins, bagels, and coffee provided by Kate Baldwin Catering and migrating into the conference room.
After opening remarks from BBQ publisher Michael Zivyak, our fearless leader started his presentation – Tenacity, Technology and Opportunity�: �Rising to the Challenge �of the New Economy – breaking down some of the fundamentals and emerging concepts in marketing and new media.
Michael Zivyak, publisher of Berkshire Business QuarterlyThe result was a wide-ranging talk, open to questions and discussion, which covered time-tested marketing strategies and tactics as well as new opportunities in mobile technology, social media, and other arenas. Berkshire businesses like Michael Wainwright Designs, the Berkshire Opportunity Fund, and Guido’s Fresh Marketplace were also incorporated, as examples of businesses using best practices.
The take-away:
It’s gut-check time. Ask yourself: What business are you really in? Then, rethink the equation. Break down barriers, and explore new options.
Marketing Myopia by Theodore Levitt is a Harvard Business Resource Classic and is available from Harvardbusiness.org. It was published in 1960.
Email us if you’re interested in having Nate or another member of the Winstanley Partners team speak at your company or event.