innovate big

product smoduct, stick to selling passion

The human mind is slave to the human heart. It makes a lot of sense, passions and emotions are the ultimate human experiences.

In a world where transparency is the new golden standard for all human interactions, passion will always trump product. If it doesn’t get you excited and make you want to tell all your friends, it’s probably not going to engage others either. A great product is really just bottled passion anyway, right? In college I remember being struck by passion and inspired with Howard Schultz and the whole Starbucks story. This emotional appeal turned me into that loyal customer and evangelist every company wants more of. In this case, emotion definitely trumped my reason, which is exactly what makes it possible for me to spend $4 dollars for a coffee drink at the ‘Bucks.

My good friend and colleague Robert Hoekman Jr. recently put his passion for design and social responsibility to work with the launch of Miskeeto. Their team’s passion: maximizing their positive social impact while changing the world through design. This was the foundation for which Miskeeto was built. Robert and his team wear their passions, alongside their hearts, on their sleeves. An activity that’s worth taking note of.

The world’s most admired companies embody this passion for what they do, who they are and what they stand for. It leaks from every pore and you can “feel it”. Remember, your customers (or users) are always smarter than you give them credit for.