Leap Tall Buildings in a Single Headline!

Few things in business are more sorely needed or appreciated than a good story. And it’s gratifying to this marketing storyteller that companies seem finally to have figured this out. Storytellers are at last being recognized by the corporate world, as marketing and other business leaders seek more compelling ways to cut through the clutter and convey brand value.

Or, not so great.

Just for laughs, these are some small reflections of mine on my life as a business person (in my case, a marketer), looking back on a career that now spans several decades. I’ve put them in the form of a “top 10” list – for reasons that will soon become clear.

The Year Santa Claus Fell Hard

This image was generated by AI under the author's direction. Santa Claus isn't dead; he's merely sprawling.

This story is guaranteed 100% true. I hope you enjoy it.

My mother was the oldest (and most responsible) of four children.  While they eventually relocated to Northern California, they grew up on a farm in Atoka County, southeastern Oklahoma – a region called “Little Dixie,” as it shares its culture and geography with the American South. On scholarship, Mother went to Denton Women’s College (now Texas Women’s University) in Denton, Texas, near the Oklahoma border. Women’s college back then meant studies in home economics, Gregg shorthand, and other secretarial skills.

Remembering Ms. Emma Kelley

This is my dad, Cecil Baker Egerton, ca. 1930, with Emma Kelley who worked for the family as cook and nanny from the 1920's until her retirement in the early 60’s. I believe my earliest recollection in life is of sitting on the kitchen counter at my grandparents’ home in Knoxville, Tennessee, dangling my feet off the edge watching Emma prepare a meal. I remember her speaking softly to herself as she worked. (My mother later told me that Emma’s name for me was “Cecil’s boy.”)

Why I'll be Mailing Your Fire Extinguisher "Later"

Dear Kidde:

I feel we’re making progress on this fire extinguisher recall, about which I posted earlier. Now, having worked through much of the process, I have a few suggestions.