My good friend Joe Lombardo and I were talking today about the new reality, our struggles and what this all means for people like us.

He asked for my thoughts on the economic recovery and I told him I’m not optimistic, for many reasons and based on some pretty clear indicators.

Then I clicked on the Huffington Post and saw this interactive map.

I was born in North Dakota. Judging by this map, I might have to go back there.

Take a look.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Branding & Business & Design & Economy & Life & This just Sucks & Uncategorized | No Comments »

“Hello, this is Miami Herald Customer Service. How may I help you, Mrs. Sawffer?”

Finally. Getting a person on the phone was not easy, and the online customer service had no ability to handle my request.

“SOOOOOOFFER,” I said, correcting the common mistake. “My name is Patty SOOOOOOOOffer.”

“Thank you Mrs. Sawffer. I will make a note of that. Is your email still pat.sawffer@sawffercollective.com?” she continued, no hint of irony in her voice.

“It’s pat.soffer@soffercollective.com,” I answered. “With an ‘o’ as in ‘ornery,’” which is how I was starting to feel.

“Oh, thank you Mrs. Sawffer,” she said. “What can I help you with today?”

I decided to forge ahead on my bigger mission, clear I was not to win this battle.

“I am calling to cancel my weekday subscription to your newspaper, ” I replied. “I want to receive the Herald on Sundays only,” I added.

Ok, Mrs. Sawffer,” she said. “I can go ahead and do that. Let’s just put you down for our Thursday thru Sunday home delivery.”

Huh?

“Please,” I said, “just sign me up for Sunday home delivery ONLY, and cancel my weekday subscription.”

“Ok, Mrs. Sawffer,” she said. “I can do that. You know we have an in-depth TV section that we will include in your daily delivery for 50 cents extra a day. Let me just put you down for that.”

Freaking insane. Totally freaking insane.

“Please,” I said, removing her metaphorical claws from my virtual piggy bank. ”Just cancel my weekday and set me up for Sunday only.”

“Mrs. Sawffer,” she said, having her own conversation. “So I’ll just go ahead and suspend your weekday home delivery service effective three weeks from now, and you will call us when you want reinstatement, ok?”

Parallel universe? Zombie planet?

“Ma’am,” I said, digging deep. “Listen to me. I want to cancel my weekday home delivery effective this very minute.”

“So,” she said, “Mrs. Sawffer, you’ll love the discount on your weekly delivery, along with coupons good for valuable products and services, and your very own web account.”

Ever see that annoying Bill Murray movie, “What About Bob”?

“Please stop,” I begged, like a victim pleading with her captor. “I want to cancel my weekday service. I don’t want coupons or TV listings and I don’t want your online newspaper. I ONLY WANT YOUR SUNDAY HOME DELIVERY.”

“Ok, Mrs. Sawffer, I’ve got it. Starting Sunday, August 15th, you will be on Sunday home delivery only.”

Today is July 23.

I couldn’t stop myself.

“Cancel my entire subscription,” I said. “I don’t ever want to see your paper again, on my porch or anywhere near my house.”

Then I hung up and did what I should have done from the start: I removed the Miami Herald from my bank’s autopay.

And as I did,  it became clear to me that I was part of the tug-of-war that is online - v - print.

Her role was to keep me at all costs. Mine was to eliminate cost.

There’s something a little sad about all this. My background is 30 years of print. The Soffer Colle+ive placed millions of dollars of advertising media each year - in the Miami Herald.

Progress sure leaves a bloody trail.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Business & Economy & The Collec+ive & Uncategorized | No Comments »

I suppose I will have every sports writer in America (and maybe James himself) up my rear on this one, but I disagree on the motivation for LeBron James’ choosing the Heat over any other NBA team.

His was not a head decision. It was all about passion. James chose TO WIN over anything else. That was his fuel. His 13-year-old inner child popped up to help on this one. He called his momma, who told him to do what makes him happy. His strategy of picking the team with whom he has the best chance of winning was based on his desired outcome: TO WIN. His move was all heart.

Tony Robbins teaches that humans have the same basic needs: CERTAINTY; VARIETY; SIGNIFICANCE; CONNECTION/LOVE; GROWTH/CONTRIBUTION.

James’ decision satisfies each of these needs. These emotional needs.

Yes, all heart. And winning a ring this season will take all the heart these guys have. I can’t wait to watch it happen. Their heads will strategize the game, but it’ll be their hearts that win it.

Posted by Patty Soffer under . . . . Heart-Based Branding & Business & Economy & Health and Wellness & NBA & The Collec+ive & Uncategorized | No Comments »

If one adopts a child who arrives with a multitude of problems created at the hands of others, is one obligated to correct every issue in the first two years of the process? Is it even possible?

You all know the answer.

So why do people expect President Obama to do just that with America?

Our country is a troubled, damaged, over-fed, undernourished child emerging from years of all manner of abuse. Curing our ills will take patience, time and wisdom.

Predictably, it’s the very abusers who are now screaming the loudest.

Stop. You have done enough. We need compassion and creativity, not complaints or cruelty.

We’re not going to out-scream you. That’s a game with no winners. Instead, we’re focused on nurturing this country and its people back to health.

We would love to have you join us. If not, please step aside.

You’ve had your turn. Now it’s ours.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Business & Economy & Family & Green & Health and Wellness & Politics & Spirituality & The Collec+ive | No Comments »

So here’s a state that has been decimated with the loss of much of its main industry- automobile manufacturing.

So what they did was shift the focus –from Detroit and its problems to their other abundant natural assets.

What they have done is respond to human needs.

First, there’s the series of Pure Michigan commercials that uses emotional and heartfelt messages of a quiet, healthy, safe respite in a really scary world, whether it’s on land or on their many unpolluted waterways. And they are telling the truth. Michigan is a well-kept secret and absolutely gorgeous with natural resources that take ones’ breath away. Don’t miss it.

Perhaps the most priceless resource they have is their people. They are honest, loyal, hard-working, community-minded survivors. They are midwesterners.

So, in the spirit of survival, they are working hard to become a film capital. Yes, you heard me. They have gone Film Friendly. In a big way. Last year, the Michigan legislature passed nearly unanimously the best film and commercial production incentive package in the nation. They know they need to create a new industry to replace what once was. What innovation! Incredibly creative thinking! In addition to Mother Nature’s stage, imagine all the available studio space that can be created from abandoned or closed auto plants.

Florida is really missing the mark here. We have, and have had for years, ample opportunity to become Hollywood West. We, too, have incredible natural resources and one more thing Michigan can’t claim-amazing weather.

I can’t imagine why we are not pursuing this.

Anyway, bravo to Michigan. Makes me proud to be a midwesterner.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Art & Branding & Business & Design & Economy & Family & Movies & Music & Politics & The Collec+ive & The Collective & Uncategorized | No Comments »

Seth Godin talks about the energy that goes into the last 10% of anything (harder to climb the last stairs, improve your golf score, run that last mile, write the last pages of a story etc) .

Thing is, that’s where the value lies. That last 10% separates good from great, great from outstanding.

We are in a time where value is, well, not valued. In fact, it is de-valued. It’s all about price, not value. Some even theorize that this economic downturn is as much about absence of value as anything. The money is out there. But nobody values anything enough to spend.

Here’s the rub: I find it impossible to do/deliver/create/add anything that lacks value. I cannot deliver good or even great. It has to be outstanding.

So - if people aren’t valuing value, then what?

Then dig deeper. The shift is I am now digging deeper inside, not out there.

Because I believe that value lies within.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Business & Economy & The Collec+ive & The Collective & Uncategorized | No Comments »

My friend Jess was chosen today as one of the exalted Seth Godin Eleven. Her job will be to change the world.

We are in good hands indeed.

Congrats Jessica. If I could be more proud than I am right now, I don’t know what that would feel like.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Business & Economy & Green | No Comments »

We gotta be the only out-of-business business with seven Local and Regional ADDY Awards under our 2010 belt and on the way to the Nationals! Stay tuned for more award updates. And a shout out to the best creative team ever in life. Can’t keep us down!

Posted by Patty Soffer under Awards & Business & Design & Economy & Fashion & The Collec+ive & The Collective & Uncategorized | No Comments »

Posted by Patty Soffer under Business & Economy & The Collec+ive & Uncategorized | No Comments »

My friend Seth  -  no, not Godin; Seth Gordon - got me thinking this morning about the events that led to my current state of blissful semi-unemployment and I realize there is a larger movement happening right now–or perhaps again-regarding the drift back to the home office.

Besides making me personally very very happy, there are benefits that go beyond my passion for personal space and comfort, affecting the planet in a massively favorable way (unless you happen to be in commercial real estate).

This from INC Magazine:
April 1, 2010

What would a world without offices look like? Well, Dilbert wouldn’t be funny, and there would be no such thing as rush-hour traffic. Here, thanks to Kate Lister of the Telework Research Network, a San Diego — based research firm, is a rough guess at what else would happen to the U.S. economy if everyone who could work from home — about 40 percent of the work force — did so half the time. The figures are annual. Feel free to rattle them off the next time someone makes fun of you for managing in your PJs.

$200 billion
productivity gains by American companies

$190 billion
savings from reduced real estate expenses, electricity bills, absenteeism, and employee turnover

100 hours
per person not spent commuting

50 million tons
of greenhouse gas emissions cut

276 million barrels
of oil saved, or roughly 32 percent of oil imports from the Middle East

1,500 lives
not lost in car accidents

$700 billion
total estimated savings to American businesses

Now if we can just get rid of those pesky condo commandos.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Business & Economy & The Collective & Uncategorized | No Comments »