Sometimes you're the hammer & sometimes you're the fail.
We don't always nail all our projects here at Twotone but incrementally we do learn & step up our game each week. We call each other out and count on our clients to do the same. Turning missteps into slam dunks isn't uncommon by burying your prode and keeping your stride.
Recently we got some tough feedback from a client on project and he suggested I dive into the subject a bit. I headed his advice and did some thinking. Turns out, failure as a theme has recurred here over the past year:
- Nº22 highlighted the roles that skill and luck play in our successes and failures
- Nº25 reminded readers that "it’s not the failures that define us so much as how we respond to them".
- Nº67 asked: “Why do anything? Why multiply the cosmic failure, the “infamy of creation”?” (dramatic right?)
#coolstorybro. So you failed, now what?
Step 1: Rub your nose in it.
“The key to learning from mistakes is to admit them without excuses or defensiveness, rub your nose in them a little, and make the changes you need to make to grow going forward. If you can’t admit your mistakes, you won’t grow.” – Shane Parrish
Step 2: Look for guidance.
“Your customer is the only person that can help you overcome your fear of failure. Talk to them constantly, listen when they tell you who they are and what’s hurting them. Be patient with yourself, and build the thing they need. Success is an inevitability if you’re willing to do this for a long enough period of time.” – Maran Nelson
Step 3: Don't just stand there. Keep going!
Most of the world’s biggest businesses stumbled around for a while before finding the right formula to take off. As the CEO of a very successful company once told me, “It took me 10 years to become an overnight success.” – David Brown
As always, thank you for reading!
with appreciation,
Jon
p.s. dig the fail ascii emoji above? Peek these classics!
❤️ this? Please tweet it, share on LinkedIn or post on FB. Gracias!
Cycling
Lester Cycles | Brooks England | Cambium
Super proud of this video we made featuring Lester Cycles for our client Kruitbosch, Brooks England's Benelux Distributor. All the props go to Frank van der Sman for the execution. So stoked!
Wing-Mounted Bike Racks!
Fly with your bike without worrying about it getting crushed by suitcases.
LOVE FOR SALE | My Wild Love
Our office mates, My Wild Love, make outspoken bicycles from the best of Columbus steel.
From construction to paint, everything takes place in Treviso, Italy. Check out their sale!
Startups
pr.co - Launch Party on Vimeo
We use pr.co on all our PR projects. It rules.
Awesome to see our very own Guy van Koolwijk interviewed in the video too!
Not that pr.co needed a reason to throw a party, but this time they had plenty.
- They launched 4 new products (Publish, Outreach, Collaborate & Global)
- kicked off a beta-product: Match.
- And releasing a book: Purpose.
Photos from this radical party I sadly missed here.
Startups, Software Development and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance
In this exclusive interview, Harbaugh shares how her lessons from the road serve as tactics for both starting a company and effective software development.
She shares techniques for grinding through the long stretches, making choices at forks in the road and cultivating a mindset that’ll give you enough to cross the finish line.
Any founder or engineering leader seeking ways to equip and lead teams for the long haul will benefit from Harbaugh’s tips.
How to Close a Gender Gap: Let Employees Control Their Schedules
Economists say flexible schedules can make a big difference. Duh, right? Sometimes I take this freedom for granted but am reminded when I hear about friends' managers who have strict in office by 9am expectations. What do you think?
Sales
Sales, Cycling and Startups with Jon Woodroof #145
Some time ago I was interviewed for salesbabble.com. Check it out : )
New fave tool: Social Lead Machine
For both sales & PR projects, recently we've been using Social Lead Machine. Not just for the Linkedin automation but for twitter lists. Its awesome.
The Chrome plugin to run Social Lead Machine can be found here.
The best way to build your network is on two wheels
I've been saying this for years! (pro tip: after a group ride in a foreign land, shake your iphone when looking at who you rode with on Strava. You can give everyone kudos. Especially at events like Eurobike, use that list to connect with people on linkedin as well!)
Radness
Vulpine Spring | Summer 2017 in Sevilla
Last week, I was in the Andalusian capital of Sevilla, chasing summer sun in early February to shoot part one of Vulpine’s spring/summer 2017 collection. Get a peek at the trip here & check out my nearly 50km escape with some dirt thanks to Komoot!
We'll be helping Vulpine continue to gain footing in Germany in 2017.
Look for them at the Berliner Fahrradschau next month!
