Focus, Focus, Focus

I had lunch with a friend the other day and as always when two people who both own their own businesses get together talk came around to work... In the course of the conversation we discussed how two of my core areas of expertise are in the luxury and juvenile markets. Now these two areas are not as far away as many people might think- at the end of the day the both cater to the same need- the consumer's desire to purchase something (be it a product or a service) that calms them, gives them great satisfaction and helps their family in some way. This could be a custom piece of furniture that is the perfect addition to their library or a new snuggly sweater for the baby - the actual item is often not the point.

What is interesting is how similar these two seemingly disparate areas are in terms of marketing, PR and business development. While the actual customer may not be the same in terms of demographic details the emotional drivers for the product are often the same. While I have known this for some time it is always invigorating to discuss with someone outside of the industry- gaining new perspective on what might make customers tick is always a blast. The conversation reminded me that it is very important to get out of your bubble and make time for lunch with colleagues from outside your world -- they can sometimes shine the spotlight on an idea (and make you focus on it) that you have been kicking around in your head but could not see clearly due to all the other business of life and work. Thanks G!