Time to step up

Our client, the Detroit Red Wings step out on the ice tonight marking their 20th consecutive playoff appearance. A phenomenal testament to the team's consistency and standard of excellence. Fans of the Red Wings know that it all starts by heading up the steep stairs outside of Joe Louis Arena. To add excitement to this milestone, the Detroit Red Wings blessed our idea to decorate the stairs. Hockeytown is energized. And we're proud to do our part to inspire "the climb." Go Wings!

New TV Show Secret Millionaire Comes to Detroit

This Sunday evening at 8pm on ABC television, real estate investor Marc Paskin spends a week in Detroit searching for people and organizations deserving of his help. Why? He's featured on a new show called Secret Millionaire. A show that promises to follow some of America's wealthiest people for one week as they leave behind their lavish lifestyles, sprawling mansions and luxury jets, conceal their true identities, and go to live and volunteer in some of the most impoverished and dangerous communities in America. (That's how ABC referred to Detroit, not me.)

Guess I'll have to tune in to see if they really do make a difference.

Yes, right here in Detroit

Sometimes the way to ESCAPE the day-to-day challenges of our business is to get immersed in the challenges and opportunities of other businesses. Businesses beyond our agency's clients. I'm so fortunate to be able - once a month - to meet with the heads of a fascinating, diverse set of area businesses. A set of businesses that represent the dynamism and creativity inherent in the "D". To keep confidences I can't name the companies or their CEOs, but I can run down the types of businesses that are innovating and producing results. Every day.

Picture a meeting room with a company that sells prosthetics, orthotics and home medical gear; a company that collects and refurbishes mobile phones (millions of them); a company that sells and services motor homes and travel trailers; a company that makes instruments (microscopes) that can see down to the level of individual atoms!; a company that supplies steel and tubing to global automakers; a company that enables real-time, virtual prototyping with photo-realistic digital files; a marketing services company for independent retailers; a mobile security services firm; an urban fashion designer/manufacturer; oh, and a mid-sized advertising agency. Spend five minutes in that room and it's impossible not to be inspired by what's happening across the metro Detroit region.

Than you to the Chief Executive Forum team for inspiring me.

Odd escape - using the snow blower

I wish I had the protective cab!

On the eve of what they're calling Snowmageddon we've got our snow blower gassed up and ready to go. To some, clearing the driveway is a major chore. Not to mention a health hazard. Personally, I really enjoy it. It's an odd escape. Maybe it's the sense of accomplishment once the driveway is clear? Or maybe it's sending the snow all the way across my neighbor's yard? (Sorry Willie.) But only recently I learned that I was doing it wrong. I always started by taking the snow blower down the left edge of the driveway and working back and forth from there. Then I saw a story in the Wall Street Journal where scientists broke down the optimal way to shovel and snow throw.

For walk-behind-and-let-the-snowblower-do-it folks, it goes something like this.

When you're snowblowing your driveway, always start in the middle and blow the snow outward. When beginning your snowblowing job, create a strip straight down the middle of the area you wish to clear of snow. Always slightly overlap the last area that you cleared and continue blowing the snow toward the outer edges of your driveway or yard.

Seems obvious now. And likely to be put to use against an amazing 15" of snow early tomorrow. I've blown plenty of hot air on this blog. Thought it was high time to blow some snow. Best of luck.

Despite economic outlook, we're still fascinated by the super-rich

Warren Buffett (L) and Bill Gates. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

I'm not on the Forbes 400 list. I'm quite a few zeros short. On the bright side, my estate planning is much simpler. Last evening on National Public Radio's Marketplace program (one of my frequent escapes) they did a feature that asked, "why would Bloomberg News think now's the time to go head-to-head with Forbes as another source emphasizing coverage of the rich?" Show transcript stated...

Jim Taylor: You would think that during the economic downtimes, there'd be less of a concern about the wealthy, or in fact negative feelings, anger or frustration toward the wealthy.

And you'd be wrong, says University of San Francisco psychologist Jim Taylor. He says from Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg to the fictional Carringtons of Dynasty, we've always been fascinated by the rich -- maybe even more so now.

Taylor: Escapism, fantasy, wishful thinking does, however unrealistically, provide some relief and comfort for people during these very difficult times.

Taylor says Americans have always been interested in who's made it and how they got there.

Studying the Consumer's Escape Plan is so rich. Thanks for listening.

Why UPS trucks never turn left

Click to watch the video interview

They say, "learn something new every day." What does the routing of UPS delivery trucks have to do with making brands a part of the consumer's Escape Plan? Simple. If you've taken note of UPS' new campaign you've seen "We ❤ logistics" everywhere. Much of that logistics management and infrastructure supports e-commerce. And if my household is any indication those purchases from e-tailers are consumer escapes. Things like Camelbacks, shoes from Zappos', books from Amazon, music, running gear, and fresh Florida citrus arrive at our home regularly. Now I know UPS gets there like I play basketball - driving only to the right all day long.

Is major home improvement a Consumer Escape?

The upstairs bathtub was raining down through the ceiling. The left side of the kitchen sink was leaking and duct-taped "do not use." The original low-flow toilet had gone "no flow."  And my wife had subtly recorded every episode of DIY Network's "I hate my kitchen." The time had come for the major redo. Over the past few months we (I use "we" as if I had much to do with this) have ordered cabinets, flooring, countertop materials, backsplash tiles and shiny new appliances. Yesterday our contractor ripped out the old kitchen down to the studs. Day one, the demolition is over. I sure hope he came back today!

This led me to consider if a major home remodel project can be labeled a great Escape when the books, magazines and tv shows all talk about it as tearing out walls and tearing up relationships? Budget aside, I have reconciled that creating a kitchen space for the next 20 years in our home is absolutely part of our Escape Plan. We love to cook and have dreamed about having space for more than one cook at a time. We enjoy having family and friends visit and isn't it amazing how everyone always gathers in the kitchen. Our newly planned space is open and inviting and will allow that to happen. Creating a true within-our-home getaway. And functionally how nice it will be to run the microwave and tv in the other room without tripping the circuit-breakers and plunging the house into darkness. (Now if I could do something about the girls' hair dryers ...)

So come on by in a few weeks, a month, next year, whenever the twists and turns of this seemingly massive undertaking is complete. If you like the "after" remind me to tell you how it was all my idea.