Six-Point Creative

Is there a tasty festive experience that doesn’t involve (at some point), coffee and chocolate? We decided to indulge in both for the Six-Point Creative end-of-year celebration. We had a wonderful virtual coffee and chocolate tasting experience with Anya Zelfond of Gourmet Boutique. Anya curated a remarkable assortment of fair trade, ethically sourced coffee and chocolates for us to try. The team also found some new favorite chocolate brands, like Pump Street Chocolate, a father-daughter team that combines baking and chocolate into a delicious result (we tried their croissant bar – which was amazing!) #FestiveThings #TeamworkMakesTheDreamWork

The idea of clarifying and articulating your vision seems a simple one, but I’ve seen it have powerful results. Over many years, Six-Point Creative has worked with personable, tight-knit teams in brand workshops, only to discover that each team member has their own interpretation of what the company stands for, and sometimes these interpretations are radically different! In one instance, the founders were intuitively making decisions in service of a bigger more meaningful goal that their team wasn’t even aware of. This was partly because the family at the heart of the business lived the vision. They’d grown up in it and stopped needing to talk about it. For them, it seemed obvious. The other part of the reason was that they were humble people who balked at the thought of claiming a grand vision. But by not articulating their bigger goal, the key leaders in the company who weren’t family members and didn’t grow up in the business, didn’t have the context they needed. They were working toward various short-term goals but hadn’t understood how it all fit together. They didn’t know what mountain they were climbing.? ? If you do one thing for your team before you close up shop this year: show them their mountain. #Clarity #ArticulateYourVision #BrandStrategy #GenerationalFamilyBusiness

"Best kept secret" Not for long! This morning, we had the largest event attendance of the last five years, for Branding without Bragging: Marketing the Family Business. It was highly regarded session, co-facilitated by Meghan Lynch and Marnie Kittelson of Six-Point Creative Our families left with knowledge, new ways of telling their story, internal assessments, and next steps to elevate their brands and grow their businesses while staying true to their values and unique culture. This was also our first "East Side Day" at the Family Business Center, with 10 first-time families from St. Paul's East Side and a number of the business support organizations they work with. Shout out to Vong Thao, MBA, EDFP, East Side Neighborhood Development Company Inc. (ESNDC), (LEDC MN) Latino Economic Development Center and Paris Dunning for helping organize and bring family business conversations to the East Side, and vice versa!

Did you know that business is the most trusted entity in the world? And that FAMILY business is leads that category? The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer shows that 70% of the population trusts family businesses compared to just 58% who trust publicly traded companies. What an opportunity! And it's an opportunity we're aiming to capitalize on at our October 24 breakfast: Branding Without Bragging: Marketing Your Family Business (https://lnkd.in/g4RFc7nk). Led by Meghan Lynch and Marnie Kittelson of Six-Point Creative , attendees will learn to authentically market themselves as a family business, without crossing a comfort line of being too self-promotional (which many family businesses face). Six Point Creative is a branding agency from Massachusetts who works exclusively with family businesses on their brand and marketing needs. This event is perfect for family businesses of all sizes and stages, and you'll leave with a playbook to implement in your company.

We had a great time at the Bruce Springsteen concert in Asbury Park, NJ, this week. As we introduced the next generation (Henry) to the Boss it occurred to me that Springsteen is the epitome of “multigenerational”. At 74-years old, with a career spanning more than six decades, the Boss and his E Street Band have found ways to appeal to new generations of music lovers. It was thrilling to watch him in Asbury Park, where he took the first steps of a career that would lead to selling more than 140 million albums worldwide. To add to the experience, we listened to Bruce’s autobiography, Born to Run, on the way to the concert. Henry was suitably impressed, saying, “He’s like a poet!” ?? What can we learn from Springsteen about building a multigenerational brand? ?Stay true to your values. Forty years after “Born in the USA” came out, Springsteen still? champions the underdog in his music ?But, allow your style to evolve. From an almost folksy style in his early days to a more powerful brand of rock-and-roll, he has allowed the music of the day to influence him creatively?? ?Give your target market more than they expect. I’ve read that Springsteen's concerts are typically twice as long as those of his peers, and he never fails to leave it all on stage. I can attest that in his seventies, he brings as much heart to his performance as he did in his twenties. The other highlights of our trip to the Jersey Shore was Henry experiencing the boardwalk, complete with a retro arcade with pinball and skee ball (he crushed me!). The best part was seeing him enjoy music that his dad has been a fan of for decades. #Springsteen #TheBoss #Multigenerational #BrandStrategy

In Case You Missed It! ?? Registration for the 2024 Next Gen Retreat closes NEXT Friday, September 13th. Here’s what you’ll gain from this impactful weekend: ?? Master communication and strengthen family bonds ?? Sharpen leadership and conflict resolution skills ?? Clarify your role in the family business ?? Connect with peers and build a supportive network Don't just take it from us, tune in to hear Melissa Moos of Baker Boys tell her story & how the Next Gen Retreat gave her the confidence to move forward in her family business. Read more about Melissa's journey in our recent article at bit.ly/4e5W3U3 and sign-up to attend at fambus.org/nextgen #PFBA #familybusiness #familyowned #successionplanning #nextgeneration #familylegacy #estateplanning #businesstransition #nextgen #nextgenretreat #leadership #nextgenleaders

You’ve probably heard the saying “doing good is good for business”. I felt privileged to witness the adage in action when I visited Riverside Industries with one of their partners, Scout Curated Wears Riverside is a social enterprise that employs and empowers people with intellectual & developmental disabilities. Clients participate in art therapy, cooking, and greenhouse programs and receive vocational training in the warehouse. Scout Curated Wears – a jewelry and home decor brand – has partnered with Riverside for fulfillment services since the company’s early days. Back then, Scout’s first products only took up a corner of their office. Today, there are pallets of Scout products filling four warehouse rooms. But the true sign of success was in the energy, smiles, and connections in the halls of Riverside’s mill buildings. Is there a way that your business enriches the community? I’d love to hear your stories! #MakingADifference #MeaningfulBusiness #PurposeDriven

I’m really looking forward to hosting this webinar on “Doing More with Less”, for the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Western Office on Tuesday, August 27 at 10 AM ET. The topic is such a relevant one for entrepreneurs because it cuts right to the bottom line: ?? How do you decide where to invest your resources?? ?? How should you measure the success of your growth initiatives to ensure that your dollars and hours are well spent?? ?? How do you make sure you're getting the biggest "bang for your buck"?? ?? Should you invest in developing your people, or in outsourced support? The answers to some of these questions won’t be the same for every small business. What’s perhaps most important is how you arrive at the answer that works best for you. I’m looking forward to some great conversations! ?? You can register to join here: https://lnkd.in/eJwvDVyb #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #Training #Webinar #MoneyMatters