Welcome to Paragraphernalia. The intent of this series is to write and practice writing through recalling and sharing short vignettes from my life — some of which I’ve never written about. Volume 1 starts here. 06 Ever since I was a kid, I have always been fascinated with seeing the world.

Welcome to Paragraphernalia. The intent of this series is to write and practice writing through recalling and sharing short vignettes from my life — some of which I’ve never written about. 01 Grandpa couldn’t even say the word. In our last conversation ever, he trailed off, unable to find the strength…

The People Layer is the root of every organization’s performance. It’s the richly complex layer of interaction between individuals and teams that persists beyond changes in projects and in leadership. …

About a month ago, I returned from my very first trip to Asia—twelve days in Japan, starting and ending in Tokyo. I traveled with my…

Starting on June 5, 2016, I’ll be riding my bike — one of my favorite outdoor activities—in my favorite state, with a thousand other people, to raise money for HIV and AIDS research. It’s the AIDS Life Cycle ride. There’s still no cure for the disease, despite increases in awareness…

Card sorting with Logobase co-founder to generate a message architecture. A manifesto for idea realization. I’m a designer and serial entrepreneur, and a startup advisor and investor. I’m preternaturally excited by new ideas that challenge the status quo and change the dynamic of existing systems. I’m thrilled by counter-hegemony: there’s always…

Towards a new individualism starting at Sochi — In the context of the spectacle of sportsmanship and achievement that are the Olympics, where whole nations are represented by extraordinary individuals, something as ordinary as a song mightn’t have much relevance. But the Russian Police Choir’s opening night performance of their cover of Daft Punk’s grammy-winning Get Lucky is…

It’s time to evolve our vernacular. — Source: Lifehack.org I’ve always been a lover of words. Early doodles were letterforms and logotypes. I became an English minor in college. A cleverly named brand, product, or service makes me happy. And a properly delivered witticism makes me ecstatic. We can pepper our speech like we place a garnish…

My career-to-date as an Agent of Perspective — Sixteen years and around six months ago, during the spring of 1997, while working full time at Houghton Mifflin Company, I did a freelance project for a then-burgeoning start-up named IS Robotics (now iRobot). It was their corporate brochure. I did everything — refined copy, shot images from a borrowed…