Category: Uncategorized

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The 16 Best Books I Read in 2017

Matthew Fenton Best Books I Read in 2017
(Reading Time: 6 minutes)

2017 was a good year for reading things.  I completed 49 books, a personal best, and I may be able to squeak one more in before year-end.

For this, I must thank the Kindle, and the in-laws who gifted me with it last Xmas.  For years, I had resisted this modern convenience on sketchy grounds: I like to highlight my books!  And write in their margins!  And dog-ear their pages!  But the Kindle allows me to do an electronic version of all those things.  And what it lacks in tactile satisfaction, it more than makes up for in storage and portability.  It’s a well-traveled Kindle.

Here’s how I compiled this list for you: Continue reading “The 16 Best Books I Read in 2017”

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Eleven Public Speaking Tips

(Reading Time: 4 minutes)

There’s no way around it. At some point in your career, you will have to stand before a group and speak. Maybe you’ll have to present a marketing plan to management. Maybe you’ll be asked to explain your department’s work to the rest of the company. Maybe a networking group will request that you share your expertise.

I happen to love public speaking. It’s an extremely potent way to educate, persuade and motivate. Some people enjoy it less, placing public speaking somewhere between “root canal surgery” and “shark attack” on their personal scale of enjoyment.

But it needn’t be so daunting. If you struggle with the idea of speaking, or are just looking to improve, I hope the following 11 public speaking tips are of value: Continue reading “Eleven Public Speaking Tips”

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Three Deuce Branding: 2009 Small Business Excellence Award winner!

(Reading Time: < 1 minute)

It’s with some pride that I announce that my company, Three Deuce Branding, is a recipient of a 2009 Small Business Excellence Award from the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.

medallionNominees were judged on six categories:

  • Company background
  • Customer focus
  • Leadership style and company culture
  • Strategic planning and sustainability of business
  • Community involvement
  • Financial performance and sustainability.

Continue reading “Three Deuce Branding: 2009 Small Business Excellence Award winner!”

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Brand Cincinnati – Readers Speak

Brand Cincinnati Downtown
(Reading Time: 4 minutes)

Some weeks ago, I challenged readers to step into the imaginary role of Cincinnati Brand Manager. We on my Agenda 360 team had been discussing the Greater Cincinnati brand idea, and we thought it a good idea to engage as many minds as possible.

To that end, I asked for your perspective regarding the building blocks of “Brand Cincinnati”: Its character, assets, differences, benefits and overall equity. Continue reading “Brand Cincinnati – Readers Speak”

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“Brand Cincinnati – How Would You Define It?”

(Reading Time: 3 minutes)

Up for a challenge? Read on.

A few months ago, I was honored to have been asked to join the Livable Communities team of Agenda 360. Agenda 360, as you may know, is a rather bold initiative, with the mission of “transforming Cincinnati USA, by the year 2020, into a leading metropolitan region for talent, jobs and economic opportunity for all who call our region home.”

The work of Agenda 360 will be merged with initiatives already underway in Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana, in order to create a cohesive agenda and action plan for the entire Tri-State. (You can find out more at Cincinnati360.com.) Continue reading ““Brand Cincinnati – How Would You Define It?””