The goal of a marketing interaction isn't to close the sale, any more than the goal of a first date is to get married. No, the opportunity is to move forward, to earn attention and trust and curiosity and conversation.

In general, organizations are afraid to fire customers, no matter how unreasonable. This is a mistake. It's good for you.

I do not think you can get rid of the fear... but you can dance with it.

You cannot create a piece of art merely for money. Doing it as part of commerce so denudes art of wonder that it ceases to be art.

What marketers used to do is make average products for average people. That's what mass marketing is. They would ignore the geeks, and - God forbid - the laggards. It was all about going for the center. I don't think that's the strategy we want to use anymore.

Winners quit all the time. They just quit the right stuff at the right time.

Quit or be exceptional. Average is for losers.