In this concise post, Susan Meier explores the art of building ‘better’. “Art is the generous act of making things better by doing something that might not work.” – Seth Godin “We have to do better.” How many times have you heard that said in the past few years? I’ve lost count. In arenas ranging from global and political to personal and professional, many of us are earnestly (desperately) seeking ways to do and be better. It can feel like…

Susan Meier shares corporate (and life) advice wrapped up in memory. After 75 years of frowning at fish, my father shocked me by booking an omakase sushi lunch for his birthday. My dad had always been a steakhouse guy, a meat-and-potatoes man. Over the years, I’d tried to get him to eat fish, to no avail. Salmon. (Fish is good for you!). Tuna. (You have to eat healthier!) Tilapia. (It doesn’t even taste like fish!) Now, as I watched him…

In this article, Susan Hamilton Meier tackles the issue of communication and climate change, and applies principles of branding to overcome barriers in communication. I talk a lot with my clients about empathy. Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes when you’re trying to get your message across. Speaking their language. Meeting them where they are. It turns out that one of the key barriers to combating climate change is scientists’ refusal to tell their story in a way that…

If ‘free time’ is a long forgotten concept, Susan Hamilton Meier offers a few ways to escape the confinement of the mind.   In a world where many of us are fundamentally rethinking the need to be tethered to the traditional constraints of “work” and people around the world are fighting for rights they yearn for or have lost, I have been thinking a lot about freedom. Freedom is one of my personal core values. The right to define yourself and…

In this short, inspiring article, Susan Meier explains why designing is a necessary human function.  As some of you may know, making jewelry has been a long-time passion of mine. Since being transfixed at the age of 6 by the Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibit, I have been on a quest to view and later make beautiful, twinkly objects that serve as wearable art, communicators of emotions, and keepers of stories.  I invite you to join me and a handful of…

Susan Hamilton Meier shares an evergreen post on why it pays to play in all things, including branding. We’re well into fall, and while the weather here in New York remains lovely enough, my work ethic tells me it’s time to buckle down and really get some work done. No more playing around. Summer is over. But maybe I’ve got it all wrong. What if play is actually the best way to work? Recess is the most important class. Education…

Susan Meier shares a post that identifies the courage it takes to face your fears especially if that means going against the flow.  ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.’ – Nelson Mandela Each year, the French celebrate the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, a major event in the French Revolution. Americans celebrate Independence Day, the day on which the colonies’ separation from Great Britain was made official. On these days, what we…

Susan Hamilton Meier shares an evergreen article that identifies the benefits of making mistakes. We love a perfect score, a best in class, a success story. But reality is messy. That entrepreneur with the “overnight success” has been at it for 20 years. That best-selling author was first a failed musician. That “perfect marriage” has weathered a few serious rough patches. Messing up is, in fact, an essential component of success. Innovative companies invest in risky ideas, understanding that many…

Susan Meier shares an insightful perspective on the benefits of walking the path that’s neither straight nor narrow. I’m captivated by the Olympic figure skating. I’ve always watched, but this year I’ve taken it to another level. I’ve been staying up past my bedtime, getting up at the crack of dawn, watching on my phone while in transit – whatever it takes not to miss a moment.  What it takes to win Yes, the skating is beautiful, and that’s enough…

Susan Meier was recently interviewed on the Blogger Genius Podcast where she explains “how to brand like an expert and the mistakes to avoid in 2022. Susan Meier: Thank you so much, Jillian, it’s great to be here. Thanks for having me. Jillian Leslie: So, you are a branding expert. How did you become one? Can you share your entrepreneurial journey? Susan Meier: Sure, absolutely. So, I started my career as a management consultant. So focusing on strategy. And when…

In this article, Susan Hamilton Meier interviews Ray Griffith on his source of creativity, his inspirational workspace, and what helps him be productive. What do you do for work? When I was a kid, I used to say to my parents all the time, I’m going to be a jeweler when I grow up. I didn’t just say it once or twice. There was no question about it, I was going to be a jeweler. That was the road I…

Susan Meier shares a post from Workspace Studio on the office of interior designer Antigone Michaelides. What do you do? I tell spatial stories. People ask sometimes, what’s your style? And I say that that’s an irrelevant question, and I refuse to answer it. What matters is that I listen, and I get this raw material, this narrative. And because I have certain tools from education and experience, I can translate that into a spatial story, which the person who…