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Iowa Evokes Passions

January 23, 2020

Last weekend, while presenting my Marketing Your Uniqueness workshop at the Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) Convention, I posed this question: “Why do you do what you do; what drives you?”

Put another way: What is your passion?

My workshop attendees were business owners, ranging from farmers selling directly to consumers, to agri-tourist operators, to farm service providers. This question was part of the 5Ws and an H exercise we did to identify their uniqueness and build an authentic brand. As important as the whole exercise is, the “why” is perhaps the most compelling. It’s the heart and soul of a business.

*The workshop went great, by the way, as did the whole conference. Kudos to the PFI team who, in the midst of blowing snow and road treacheries, hosted a full house of ag enthusiasts.*

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Given that I asked my workshop attendees to examine their passions, I felt I should reflect on mine as well. It’s my 15th year in business, after all. So why does Adunate help people build their brand and grow their business?

*This awesome collage was in the entry of Cafe Milo in Ames*.

That Right-Brained Gene

The master creator planted in me (and my peoples) an incessant need to create, explore, make, design, research, write, plant, observe, discover, build, grow, appreciate. Admittedly, this is a bit of chaos. But I also like to think of it as creativity. I feel good knowing my myriad of ideas and pursuits helps others succeed with theirs.

God’s Good Earth

Every day I’m blessed to wake up and view God’s magnificent creation. I’m passionate about sustaining what he’s given us for the time we’re here on this earth. I’m adamant that all people be treated with the same grace he’s has shown each of us. I mean, why would we not?

Food, Glorious Food!

I love good food and drinks! I love the growers, the bakers, the artisans, and the makers. I appreciate their hard work and endless days. I want to help them grow their business. I want to help them succeed.

*When it comes to innovation, this exhibit from the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque says it all.*

Amazing Women

When we were first married, my husband and I dairy farmed with his family. This was in the 1980s (whoa, we’ve been married that long?) and the farm economy was in crisis, just as it is today. Many people, including us, quit farming.

Our family has since recovered quite nicely, thank you, and this by no means is a sympathy grab. But I often wish the local food movement was as strong then as it is now. I admire women today who’ve found ways to earn a living from home. I’m in awe of their innovative ideas; CSAs, home-based food businesses, farm-stays, so many ventures we never heard of forty years ago. I’m inspired how they work together for the good of all, not just for themselves.

It’s 2020 and I want to be like these women!

Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God

Actually the passage in its entirety says, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God,” 1 Corithians 10:31.

This puts into perspective just about everything we do, don’t you think?

So What About You? What are Your Passions?

This year are you looking to amplify your brand? Do you know who you are, what you do, and why you do it?

My monthly newsletter can help. Along with the 5Ws and an H worksheet, I’ll send tips to guide you through the branding and marketing process. Emphasis is on the monthly, as in once a month, so don’t worry about me bombarding your email.

Signup here for news you can use!

Bees Motivate Gratitude and Giving

November 4, 2019

I’m into my fourth year of beekeeping and while I still consider myself a newbie, I do feel I’ve come a long way. For one—and an important one at that—I can now find the queen.

Finding the queen—or queenspotting, as they say—is huge in beekeeping. There are books on the subject, like this cool Where’s Waldo-style QueenSpotting, by Hilary Kearney, or #queenspotting challenges on Instagram. These are basically where I learned to spot my queens.

We all know how important the queen is. She’s the heart and soul of a honey bee colony after all, and because she’s the only one who lays fertilized eggs, she’s the prime indicator of its productivity. No queen, no colony.

But did you know the other bees are equally important?

A honey bee colony is a superorganism, meaning its three types of bees—workers, drones, and the queen—are dependent upon one another. Each engages in a specialized division of labor that selflessly supports the survival of the colony. We can liken this to Aristotle’s “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” but in plain, everyday speak, let’s just say honeybees work together for the good of all.

What great role models honey bees are for us humans!

*A queen bee in her own right, this lovely lady walked ahead of me at an In Her Boots/Soil Sisters workshop. I love her message!*

November is Gratitude Month and Giving Month

Inspired by my bees and in thankfulness for all my clients do for me, November is the month I pass it forward. Each year Adunate accepts two pro bono projects for greatly reduced or no cost. These are projects I strongly support and believe will positively impact God’s creation, his people, or his ministry.

My areas of focus include, but aren’t limited to:

Agriculture & Animals
Architecture
Arts
Children
Environment
Faith
History
Humanity
Food & Drink
Sustainability

If your caring organization needs creative support in the coming year, click here for an application. Then, to guarantee your project’s success, be sure to click here!

My deadline for submissions is December 31, 2019. I will let applicants know of my decision in January.

By the way, did you find the queen? Here she is, that royal lady!

Out and About with Fermentation Fest

August 19, 2019

News flash!

Fermentation Fest event guides are hot off the press and heading out to exciting venues throughout Wisconsin. This 24-pg, can’t-miss guide is bubbling with interesting articles, art, class listings and city map—all the ingredients necessary for two weekends of culture convergence at Fermentation Fest. You don’t want to miss the Fest or the guide!

I’ve got to say helping promote Fermentation Fest is one of my favorite projects of the year. It’s a melding of interests, from food and art, to agriculture and travel. This means artists, chefs, poets, foodies, farmers, cheesemakers, brewers, musicians, performers, and so many more people all come together for an autumnal celebration of good life. I’m very proud to design for it, very honored to be part of it.

In the weeks ahead I’ll be delivering guides to various venues (I love promoting my clients!). Check back to this page often for an updated listing of where you can find them. And don’t forget my social media because I’m also big on featuring interesting venues.

Here’s where I’ve been so far. Yep, all the way to northern Wisconsin!

#GetYourFermFestGuide2019Here

Listed in order of cities are venues where you can find Fermentation Fest guides. If you’re not in these areas, check out the Fermentation Fest website or join the mailing list.

Deerfield Coffeehouse, Deerfield
Milwaukee Street Traders, Delafield
Fitchburg Public Library, Fitchburg
Sequoya Public Library, Madison
Willy Street Co-op East, Madison
Willy Street Co-op North, Madison
ZuZu Cafe & Market, Madison
Willy Street Co-op, Middleton
Good Harvest Market, Pewaukee
Roots Coffee Bar, Oconomowoc
Soleil Lune Yoga Center, Oconomowoc
Firefly Coffee House, Oregon
The Chocolate Caper, Oregon
Landmark Creamery, Paoli (Belleville)
Stevens Point Area Co-op, Stevens Point
Cafe Coco, Washburn
South Shore Brewery, Washburn
Tribeca GalleryCafe & Books, Watertown
Downtown Grocery, Wausau

See you at Fermentation Fest in October!

Going the Extra Mile

September 15, 2018

When it comes to promoting my clients, I love getting out and shouting the good word. It’s easy because I design for clients I totally love and they give me great things to shout about.

There’s something to be said for promoting one’s clients. Their success is my success, after all. But even more, it means I believe in them and I value their product. It means I know their industry. Because I target clients who share my passions, we talk the same talk, walk the same circles and, together, know what brings optimal success.

My Current Project

These days I’m promoting Fermentation Fest, an annual event for which I design a 48-page guide. It bubbles over in my list of personal interests—food, art, agriculture, travel—so, of course, it’s one of my favorite projects of the year. And delivering guides to fascinating people and places throughout southern Wisconsin is as much a perk for me as it is for my client.

Come early October, you can bet I’ll be attending Fermentation Fest. I love the more than 50 interesting classes, hands-on workshops, tastings and more, taught by fermenters, artists, bakers and brewers. I love touring the rolling hills of Sauk County and finding art, performances and music in the Farm/Art DTour.

Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? It truly is and it’s an event the whole family can enjoy.

#GetYourFermFestGuide2018Here

Listed in order of cities are venues where you can find Fermentation Fest guides. If you’re not in these areas, check out the Fermentation Fest website or join the mailing list.

Landmark Creamery, Belleville (Paoli)

SchoolGrounds Coffee House, Cottage Grove

Milwaukee Street Traders, Delafield

Fitchburg Public Library, Fitchburg

2 Rivers Bicycle & Outdoor, Fort Atkinson

Café Carpe, Fort Atkinson

Brickhaus Cafe, Jefferson

GetCulture, Madison

Ground Zero Coffee, Madison

Jordan’s Big Ten Pub, Madison

Madison Sourdough, Madison

Regent Market Co-op, Madison

Sequoya Public Library, Madison

Willy Street Co-op East, Madison

Willy Street Co-op North, Madison

ZuZu Cafe & Market, Madison

Willy Street Co-op, Middleton

Roots Coffeebar & Cafe, Oconomowoc

Firefly Coffee House, Oregon

Good Harvest Market, Pewaukee

2 Rivers Bicycle & Outdoor, Watertown

Tribeca Gallery Cafe & Books, Watertown

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It Takes Grandparents and a Full Flock

August 16, 2018

The Instagram rule of poultry is if you’re going to raise layers, you must produce a rainbow of egg colors. Given that—and because I have grandchildren who, in my mind, rate much higher than Instagram—I choose breeds specifically for their color of eggs. My chick order this spring consisted of Ameraucanas for their pastels, Marans for their chocolate (I usually forget and say chocolate covered instead of colored, haha, wouldn’t that be nice), and the gentle, very pretty Lavender Orpingtons for their brown.

Add these to my white-egger Leghorns from last year and you get a full spectrum in every dozen. All for the grandchildren.

Recently my husband was perusing the Abendroth catalog and noticed Lavender Orpingtons were $9.95 each. Oops, I guess I never checked prices. And…Lavender Orpingtons only come as a straight run, meaning they could be male or female. Oops, I didn’t check that either. They’re for the grandchildren, after all.

Isn’t it funny what we do as grandparents?

Last week I wrapped up work on the Fermentation Fest event guide and sent the final draft to press (put the paper to bed, to be jargonly correct). Because this year’s guide is to be a reversible (half of it printed upside down), I went to the print agency to verify it was laid out correctly. Look at this, not only was I provided with individual proof pages and a full size mockup, I also got a cute, mini mockup. I feel like a beloved grandchild.

I’m thinking my favorite businesses are like grandparents; they give more than their all without a second thought. And just as it takes a full flock to produce that colorful dozen of eggs, so it takes a multitude of grandparently businesses to produce a successful event guide. Donna Neuwirth, founder of Fermentation Fest, is a brilliant visionary. Cricket Design Works illustrated the gorgeous front covers—both of them! Badger Group is the dedicated agency doing our professional printing. I can’t put into words how honored I am to work with each of them.

Lastly, Fermentation Fest is made possible by a long list (can we say full flock?) of sponsors, funders and partners. Be sure to check them out in this year’s event guide, which will soon be out in various locations. Watch for it!

And now…drumroll…here’s a Lavender Orpington update. One, and only one, is a rooster. He’s developing his comb, learning to crow and is violaceously beautiful (men have all the luck). If he’s gentle enough, maybe we’ll keep him and hold back a few eggs for hatching.

You know, for the grandchildren.

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Bringing International Women’s Day to My Office

March 8, 2018

Today is International Women’s Day and it’s a perfect time to show off my new office décor. It’s a print of the Hillside Club by David Lance Goines and, while I love all his work, I’m particularly fond of this piece because of what it represents. On top of that, when I ordered the print, I also received Hillside Club notecards—lagniappe at its best!

The Hillside Club was formed in 1898 by three tea-sipping ladies from Berkely, California, who wanted to protect the area hillside from unscrupulous developers. Decades later in the 1960s, a new generation of Hillside Club ladies rallied to save the San Francisco Bay from developers who were filling it in for urban expansion. Today this region’s beauty reflects The Hillside Club’s success and the great things that happen when women get together.

These days we’re hearing a lot about the force of womanhood and how long-awaited issues are finally being addressed. We’re inspired by the many famous ladies who put themselves out there for the betterment of the others. But today, on International Women’s Day, let’s not forget the lesser known but equally important gatherings of women whose “getting things done” are motivation for the rest of us.

Like the Hillside Club.

How Fun – A Promotional Photo Series!

March 29, 2016

One of my goals for the year is to challenge myself with something new. That opportunity came along right away in January when my walking partner proposed a brilliant collaboration. Since then we’ve been busy planning, scheduling, designing, and doing whatever in preparation for a big opening this Friday, April 1. No April Fool jokes happening here!

In the meantime, I want to share some vintage advertising I found stashed in a drawer. For the rest of the week I’ll be posting these and a few more treasures on my Instagram. Be sure to check them out!

I’ve always loved art nouveau and according to this history, it was a popular medium for advertising from the 1880s until World War I. This is the cover to the 1910 calendar above.

Who says copywriters aren’t fun? Or creative? This reminds me of the Rollings Reliable Baking Powder story contest in Anne of Green Gables!

Stay tuned until Friday!

November Means Working Together (Pro-Bono)

November 19, 2015

Here it is November and we still have sandhill cranes. If you look closely in this zoomed-to-the-max iPhone shot, you see two of them enhancing the otherwise desolate cornfield. They caught my attention a few mornings ago as they gaggled away in response to another pair far in the distance. This weekend we’re supposed to get several inches of snow so these snowbirds will likely say to heck with this and take off for warmer temps.

Aren’t the migratory habits of birds amazing?

For example, for several months in autumn the sandhills gather in wetlands before heading south. These are called staging areas and here in Wisconsin there are several where thousands of cranes assemble at a time. I like to imagine this is a time of preparation and joining together of forces for the arduous journey ahead.

You probably knew migrating birds fly in the V-Formation, officially known as the echelon formation. They do this for its aerodynamic advantage, obviously. But did you know birds take turns flying the front helm of this V, a very strenuous task? And did you know the mortality rate for birds is six times higher during the migration season? Given this, isn’t it interesting that even though survival favors the selfish—those that promote their own well-being before that of others—the God-given nature of birds is to selflessly share the responsibility?

This author makes a good point when he says, “If migrating birds work together, the flock has a greater chance of having all of its feathered brethren make the long trip to their destination.”

Working together. For the good of all.

With this caring concept in mind and because November is the month of giving, let me announce it’s my season for pro-bono applications. Each year Adunate accepts two pro-bono projects for greatly reduced or no cost. These are projects I strongly support and believe will positively impact God’s creation, his people, or his ministry.

My interests include, but aren’t limited to:

Architecture
Arts
Children
Faith
History
Humanity
Natural Food & Living
Nature & Animals
Preservation & Sustainability

If your organization needs creative assistance in the upcoming year, click here for an application. Then, to guarantee your project’s success, be sure to click here!

Deadline for submissions is December 31, 2015. I will let applicants know of my decision in January.