Ben Guttmann

Four professional force multipliers

A force multiplier is a tool that empowers people to do things that they couldn’t do without. It’s a factor that is said to increase ability by multiple. An impenetrable fortress is a force multiplier, allowing a small defensive force to repel armies of attackers. Force multipliers make you stronger than the sum of your parts – in a military context and in our work.

October 23, 2023

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Look, you should do some work for free

I’m wandering into a minefield here. I think that, sometimes, you should work for free. If you’re an independent creative, running a professional services firm, or growing a startup, working for free can be one of the best things you can do. It can make you better at your craft, it can unlock new opportunities, and it can be just straight-up a good time. You may disagree – but read on.

August 8, 2023

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How to make the most of your hard-earned social proof

Why should I believe you? The way we answer that question is called social proof: reviews, testimonials, awards, rankings, and other forms of validation that show you can be trusted. But all this hard-earned validation doesn't do us any good if we keep it hidden. Here are four principles to keep in mind as you're building and deploying your proof.

May 2, 2023

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Five rules for doing work in exchange for equity

As I’ve spoken to friends that have also run marketing agencies and development shops, or even law firms and lobbying groups, there is one tempting idea that everybody considers at some point in their journey: doing work for equity. Instead of charging a client $5,000 or $500,000, what if you did the work for “free” as an investment and get a pile of stock in return?

October 10, 2022

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Why you should take your clients to nice places

When we first started our agency, we were a couple of broke 22-year-old guys trying to figure it out and save every penny. If we met with a client outside their office, we’d go to Starbucks or the local coffee shop around the corner, and pay our $10 “rent” for a couple drinks and a convenient table. That was a bad move.

September 30, 2022

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