EPISODE 132

CHRONICLE: November 1st, 2023

Failure | Fail Faster Succeed Sooner

"My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure."

Wisdom from Abraham Lincoln

Failure is not fatal, but if you do not embrace Failure and make it a part of your Culture, it can prevent you from realizing your Vision.

Many companies profess to be "Innovative" yet squash any new out-of-the-box thinking that disrupts the company's status quo and your business category. Therefore, embracing your failures, learning from them, and adapting to move your IDEAs from paper to people is crucial.

Commercializing your IDEA is the inevitable goal, but if the product you envisioned does not match reality, there will be issues with your community and the brand itself. If you are to be a leader, you must embrace Failure and Risk to create what others may not have thought of or felt was impossible. Otherwise, you are truly just a commodity. Having the courage to do what is right for the brand is what all Visionaries have in common. Beyond product, beyond Culture, is sticking to your Foundational Principles, which drive your brand forward.

The brands that continually drive innovation embrace Failure as a learning experience and will be the ones to survive any storm. Look at history, and you will see brands that have failed and those who are still with us today. A common thread, stronger than steel, is the will to create what others said was impossible. This challenge brings out the passionate courage in all Visionaries and the satisfaction of proving others wrong.

Remember Edison's famous quote when inventing the light bulb.

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work…."

Imagine if Edison had given up at so-called "Failure" on try 9,998? A different world than we live in today. Thankful for his Vision and perseverance not to give up!

What are these Failure Stepping Stones to eventual Success?

1. Take Risks | No great product has ever been realized without Risk.
2. Embrace Risks | Different than taking a Risk is embracing Risk as part of your Culture.
3. Fail Faster | Assume Failure will happen and is necessary to create Truly revolutionary products.
4. Succeed Sooner | By Embracing Risk, and Failure, you are on a path to Success.

Failure is inevitable when creating anything great! So embrace Failure and Risk and be rewarded with generational products and a culture committed to Success.

Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!

Enjoy the Journey!

Bryan Smeltzer, President

LiquidMind Inc.

#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast

#TheVisionaryBrandBook

@LiquidMindsite.com

@BryanSmeltzer.com

© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2023

Bryan Smeltzer is a consumer products business executive and entrepreneur. He has held executive-level roles in business development, Product, and marketing with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including; Oakley, TaylorMade, Adidas, K-Swiss, and Schutt Sports, among other international brands. He also founded a men’s apparel brand, successfully running a profitable business for ten years, eventually selling to a VC firm.

He also hosts a Podcast called The Visionary Chronicles, ranked as the #1 Visionary and Top 50 Marketing Podcasts by Feedspot, and recently finished his first bestselling book, The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands, and recently received the prestigious Readers Favorite Award for BEST Non-fiction, Marketing Genre book.

He is also a member of the Board of Advisors at UCI’s BCIE along with their New Venture Program, an Innovation Advisor at the UCI’s Applied Innovation program at the Cove, a Mentor/Advisor to UCLA’s Price Center Venture Accelerator Program, and a Mentor/Advisor at the San Diego Sports Innovators Accelerator (SDSI) center.

Bryan oversees LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm that partners with start-ups and established mid to large-cap consumer brands to empower businesses to think differently, be different, drive a passionate culture, and execute relentlessly.

You can contact or  follow him at;

email | bryan@LiquidMindsite.com

Facebook | @bryansmeltzer33

Instagram | @bryan_smeltzer

X | @bryansmeltzer

LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/