Hey Reader,
At first glance, it looks like satire. A meme-worthy image of Donald Trump, gold card in hand, offering foreigners the chance to join a $5 million “Gold Card” waitlist and being used as a ‘good’ example of a marketing campaign. Not for a laugh — but as a genuine campaign.
Because I’m a nice person I’ve decided to not show you who posted this, but let’s just say it’s tone deaf at best and for sure shows me who I won’t work with.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a small group of yoga teachers are risking everything — not for profit, but for peace.
And I’ll happily show you exactly who they are … the lovely Lorie Bradbury (Dan Bradbury’s awesome wife) for starters.
They’re building a trauma-informed movement inside Ukraine. Helping those on the frontlines process unspeakable horror through breath, movement and stillness. No PR team. No cameras. Just guts and grace.
See their GoFundMe →
The contrast couldn’t be clearer.
One is deplorable marketing spin.
The other is moral conviction.
And here’s the truth nobody’s saying loudly enough:
If your business stands for nothing, AI will eat it alive.
LET’S GET REAL:
The middle is dying.
“Safe” brands.
Neutral businesses.
The inoffensive LinkedIn crowd who sound like everyone else.
AI will replace them first. Why? Because if it’s predictable, it’s replicable.
And if it’s replicable, it’s redundant.
We’re entering an era where only the bold survive. Not the loudest — the clearest. The ones who plant a flag. The ones who mean something.
Your customers don’t want another service provider. They want a sense of identity. A cause they can buy into. Something that matters.
Because business now is belief.
AI can already:
- Write copy faster than you.
- Analyse data better than you.
- Optimise your calendar in seconds.
But it still can’t do conviction. It can’t lead a movement.
That comes from you.
So if your business blends in, you’re on borrowed time.
In fact, research from Forrester shows that brands seen as "stand-for-something" grow 2.2x faster than those who try to appeal to everyone.
Because in the age of infinite content, clarity is the new currency.
3 ACTION TIPS: STANDING FOR SOMETHING IN BUSINESS
1. Pick Your Enemy
Not a person — a principle.
What’s the thing you refuse to tolerate anymore?
Is it shallow bro-marketing? Performative activism?
Declare it. Loudly.
2. Plant Your Flag
If someone landed on your homepage or read your last post, would they know what hill you’re willing to die on?
If not, rewrite it.
Test: Can you summarise what you stand for in one sentence that makes the right people nod and the wrong ones scroll?
3. Back It With Action
Don’t just say you believe in inclusivity, transparency, sustainability — show us.
Be the change - and share the receipts.
Now more than ever, your voice isn’t just part of your brand — it is your brand.
If you want to future-proof your business, build a legacy, and actually enjoy the work you do:
Stand up.
Speak out.
Be about something.
You’ve got this …
