industry thoughts from Clarteza

As an eight-year-old I was collecting postcards, stamps, highlighters, sharpeners, gum and chocolate wrappers. I loved collecting, curating my treasures and then trading them or selling them. I got good at it and my collection grew. Then, I wanted to own a bookstore and sell books as I loved reading. I thought I could have a section for my collectibles as well. Well, that idea never materialized, as overtime my priorities changed.

I was involved in my parents business. By the tender … Continue Reading

It has been March of 2020 when our reality was upended. My family’s life – like so many other families – has changed as a result. What has surprised me in this transition, though, are the many things and activities – some of which I have never done before – that have filled my life since then. Some of these newfound pursuits are likely to stick for quite some time. This is a power of change.

For starters, I have entered the world of online … Continue Reading

“The voyage of discovery is not in seeing new landscapes but in having new eyes” – Marcel Proust.

This quote has been my guiding beacon in life and at work. The ability to see what you have or what you experienced from a different angle, can change its meaning.

In other words, the way you look at things, changes “the things” you look at. 

To acquire a new way of thinking requires learning fueled by an open … Continue Reading

Our reality has changed in March of 2020. We live in a new world. As a result, we will need a new way of thinking to navigate our lives, create new solutions, reframe our work or redefine entire business models. We will also likely need to redesign our lives. The trick is, we don’t know whether this is for a “while” or forever.

In a series of articles and posts, I will be sharing with you my passion for creativity and learning. … Continue Reading

I’m a big believer in goals, in progress and in growth. Last year, I publicly listed a long list of goals I was going to accomplish and was planning to do a nice recap and reflection in early January. Except, things changed on January 4th , before I had a chance to write my blog.

I was skiing with my family in German Alps in breathtaking views
and incredible mountains. I had an amazing time. One afternoon, as it was
getting dark, I lost … Continue Reading

For most of my life I’ve been told to choose between the two things that I love: My passion for business or my creative musical expression. I studied music and business.

In fact, as a child and through my early twenties I felt as if I was always a part of two different worlds: “the real” business world and the creative “unreal” music, art world. Deep down I knew, that I embody both but it’s hard to be honest and talk about both, for fear of being perceived as not fully committed to … Continue Reading

My team works with incredible clients and on some amazing projects. We are privileged to be able to look for interesting insights and connect them through different cultures. We get to learn about people’s needs and behaviors, so we can help our clients come up with great solutions or products. It’s exhilarating!

Over the years, however, I have observed the curse of three consistent issues: “marginal thinking”, “sunk cost” and “conformity” which, as trifecta, can stifle innovation and overwhelm any good decision-making process.

Let me demonstrate what I mean. Coming up with a new … Continue Reading

Earlier this year, I set a goal for myself to review brands and services to look for delightful experiences they could create for a customer.

This time I tried MM.LaFleur. A clothing brand which aspires to revolutionize workwear with a slightly Japanese flair. I’ve heard about the brand at the NRF conference in January. In this case, PR worked, at least for me.

What interested me about MM. LaFleur at first, was their purpose “When women  succeed in … Continue Reading

I consult brands for a living and I read a lot about mindful living. Both interests converge on life experiences.

This year, I’m going to live what I preach. I will live and breathe experiences. I will also evaluate them along the way to know their incremental impact on my overall well-being.

For context, for couple of years now I have had a list of 100 things I want to accomplish in my life and my plan is to chip away every year.

My 2018 is ambitious. I’m willing to write about my plans, mainly … Continue Reading

When I travel, I try to stay at #Kimpton Hotels as much as possible. It’s fair to say they’ve won my brand loyalty—but not because their pillows are great or the room service is quick and tasty (though they are). It’s because they take advantage of every opportunity to customize my hotel experience specifically for me.

Kimpton takes a few basic data points about me, such as my preferences and other important dates and milestones, and uses them as opportunities to provide a variety of small surprises and delights to enhance my experience.

For example, during my recent stay with my two … Continue Reading