Ronell 
“Content is king” is nonsense. While I’m hopeful marketers are working to extinguish that phrase from their vernacular, it’s a lazy cliché that sets the wrong expectation. It makes content sound like a single, monolithic thing you must produce.That mindset reduces content to deliverables, when what small businesses actually need is a way of seeing. … Read more
Why organizations that think like publishers—not advertisers—win trust, loyalty, and growth. For years we’ve been told that content is king. It’s catchy, but wrong. Content isn’t what you publish; it’s how you think about the experience you create. A content mindset is less about volume and more about vision. It’s how leaders, brands, and creators … Read more
Six years in public service, media, and business taught me one thing: clarity beats volume. Here’s what I learned and what comes next. Beyond the Goal: Eliyahu Goldratt Speaks on the Theory of Constraints isn’t among my favorite listens of 2025, but it highlights a useful truth: every system has a primary constraint; until you … Read more
Sometimes the hard stop is the only way forward. More than a decade ago, I sat in on a meeting where 10 people—agency staff and client representatives—spent over an hour agonizing about how the color of a homepage button might impact conversions. Every suggestion was met with, “Yeah, and we could also…” The energy was … Read more
When you wake up each morning, your to-do list is already too long. But what if, instead of doing “a little bit of everything,” you tackled your most threatening problem first? I call that eating the frog. It’s hard, unpleasant, but transformative. In conversations with dozens of business owners, I ask: “What’s holding you back?” The … Read more
TL;DR: Disconfirmation bias—the tendency to undervalue evidence that contradicts our beliefs—can derail executive decision-making. Leaders who actively seek and engage with opposing viewpoints make more resilient strategic choices. What is disconfirmation bias? Disconfirmation bias is the cognitive tendency to dismiss or undervalue information that challenges our existing beliefs, assumptions, or strategic direction. In leadership, it … Read more
Proximity bias in strategy is the tendency to lose sight of the bigger picture when you’re too close to a plan, product, or candidate. This happens everywhere in business and politics, and it’s one of the most common blind spots I see. How I learned about proximity bias More than a decade ago, after moving … Read more
Several years ago, I visited a small tackle retailer in Branson, Mo., near Table Rock Lake. Though it was spring and the fish were biting, I was there for business—to learn how this 1,200-square-foot store thrived despite fierce competition from a nearby big-box retailer. His answer was simple: “I’m different.” “Those [other retailers, which included … Read more
What is a point of differentiation (POD)? A Point of Differentiation (POD) is the unique value your business offers that your competitors don’t. It’s what makes your product, service, or brand memorable and desirable to your target audience. Why POD matters Most small businesses don’t fail because their products are bad. They fail because no … Read more
As a consultant, your personal brand is crucial to your success—and a key component of that brand is your worldview. This isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a guiding principle that influences your approach to business, decision-making, and client interactions. Let’s break down what a worldview is, why you need one, and how it can help … Read more
Many small business owners think they need to scale to compete with larger companies. They imagine growing bigger, serving more customers, and automating processes will lead to success. But what if scaling your business leads you down the wrong path? What if the best path to long-term success is to focus on the things that … Read more
The newly redesigned WordPress.com Learn Hub is the culmination of years of hard work by several talented teams inside the brand; I’m proud to have played a role in its execution. The hub now features a clean, intuitive design, more user-friendly videos, and a wealth of information tailored for its core audience: beginner and intermediate … Read more