This Word Changed My Life

Crazy to think about, but I completely changed my life based on one word. Ok, maybe technically two words pressed together into one powerful phrase: "Besomebody."

Been sharing this 'word' on social media nearly every day for 8 years. At first it was just a way to talk to myself, push myself past my own doubts and fears and excuses. Get over my insecurities... Then it became about creating a lifestyle, a personal declaration that walked/ran hand-in hand with an unmatched sense of urgency, constantly reminding me that "NOW" is always the time. It was about about deciding what I wanted and going after it, the right way, with the right intentions, but at all costs; about making the choice to be better, work harder and KEEP GOING, no matter how high or low things got...

"NOW is always the time."

And then finally, as I focused on fixing myself, other people started to notice. Not notice me, but this word. They started to feel something when this word was around. And it felt good. To all of us. So we kept sharing. More stories, more experiences, more bumps and bruises and failures. More truth. And soon, this word became about others... other people took it and made it their own. They fed off of the passion and energy behind it, they embraced the lifestyle, but they directed it towards their own dreams and carved it into their own vision. This term - #besomebody - was abstract, yet intuitive. And instantly personal. The second you laid eyes on it, it became about you and what you loved. In four simple syllables it could encapsulate everything you were feeling - that desire, that passion, that ambition, that promise to yourself that you're willing to work your ass off for what you want, that spark that helped ignite you and those around you...

Now, I have to admit, as a brand builder, programmed to notice people's reactions from an early on at Procter & Gamble, this instant attraction fascinated me. I'd led big campaigns on some of the world's biggest brands (Tide, Old Spice, Olay, GoPro, etc). But I had NEVER seen an emotional uprising quite like this... it was the holy grail of brand building: create a deep, personal connection with people that inspires them to act... I knew something was there, back in 2011, when I started the original #besomebody blog. I just didn't know what it would become. Or what to do with it.

So I set it free.

And watched it grow. And you took it, and made it bigger and stronger and more meaningful. You turned it into one of the most open-minded, well-traveled, and universally-understood rallying cries of all time. You strapped it on treetops and spray painted it on busses. You wore it across your chest. Communal, collective and colorblind. Real and raw. About you, and about everyone, all at once... Thousands of times a day, within videos and snaps, between tweets and filters, you shared yourselves through this word.

It's part of the human condition to want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. And somehow, this little word - built by the barehands of people across the world; covered by the fingerprints of people of all ages, races and backgrounds; brought to life by the resiliency of real folks with real goals - has helped us build that big "something."

Together, we reverse-engineered a brand. We started from the inside-out, focusing on how it made us FEEL. And then we created content and built community around that feeling. We paid attention to all the details of traditional brand building and marketing: the look and feel, the character and voice, the points of difference and parity, the purpose... and stayed true to those clear distinctions even though we weren't selling anything. Even though we were focused on sharing and stoking and sparking this FEELING.

Once the brand was built - after the feeling, content and community were clear - we introduced our first product. A product with a singular mission, but a double-bottom-line: help people live their passion and make money doing it. We did great things and made big mistakes. We won a lot, and lost even more. We got close, but still fell far short. But we learned. And improved. And grew. And KEPT GOING... And now, 8 years since I first tweeted "#besomebody", 6 years since I created the original blog, and 3 years since we established Besomebody, Inc, we are still going. And the dream is bigger than ever.

That dream touches two of the most important yet polarizing parts of our society: Education and Employment. Helping people learn the skills they need to get the jobs they love. Creating a new path. Making a difference. And of course, reverse-engineering the whole thing...

But, the heart and soul of this word has always - and will always - remain the same. It's about you. It's about us. It's about everyone. And it's about the beautiful, crazy, heart-wrenching, goose-bumping things that can happen when we come together to be our best selves.

Today we reached 700,000 Facebook fans, passed 250,000,000 video views, placed 5 more people in jobs and were trending on Twitter in South Africa. One word.

#besomebody.

(And two more: Thank you.)

At Besomebody, we're on a mission to make education and employment more accessible, practical and passion-based. Our Besomebody Paths give people hands-on skills training for great jobs with great companies. On average, Besomebody Paths are 10x less expensive and 20x faster than traditional alternatives. And, most importantly, 100% of our graduates are GUARANTEED a job with our partner employers. We are working with leading companies across several industries, including Health Care, Hospitality, Automotive and Energy. To apply for a Path, or become a partner employer, please send me a message, or visit us at besomebody.com.

We're building this together. #besomebody.