In retrospect, I should’ve known better. In the south, especially where I grew up in Central Texas, holiday food is sacred. All traditions revolve around food. What you eat, how you eat it, when you eat, and the football game you watch before or after you eat it — that’s the fabric of your family legacy. […]

I’m not going to lie… when I imagine my ideal Sunday morning, it doesn’t involve giving my brain stem a light stir. Let me back up. (And buckle up, because we’re back with the #longandweird.) If you’ve been around since last Friday, you know our blessed unicorn of a Brand Manager + Integrator, Christina, stepped […]

Welcome to Summer, friends! Sadly, we can’t offer you a lawn chair or clink celebratory cheers over a summer cocktail in person.  But we *can* give you our secrets to level-up your cookout… Read on for three of our all-time favorite recipes for your Summer festivities: the perfect crowd-pleaser hot dog bar, a batch cocktail that’s […]

Ostriches are Really Dumb and Other Life Lessons from My Childhood The dust rises in his wake and bystanders watch in awe as his powerful, piston-like legs pound the sod — a picture of athletic grace. Long, purposeful strides thrust him through yard after yard, and though the muscles in his strong thighs strain, somehow […]

So, for today’s extremely difficult intellectual homework, who is your (or your brand’s) celebrity doppelgänger? Yes, it sounds trivial, but stay with me — it’s actually incredibly telling. We’ve talked about this a bit before, but the best brands don’t sound like brands. They sound like people… because people love to buy from, learn from, and work with people. […]

I’m an ideas guy. Now and forever, amen. So much so that (my fiancé) Darren may or may not have a code word to get my attention because I’m so often off in another place — thinking, dreaming, scheming. (The code word is “HARK!” in case you’re trying to get through to me and I’m […]

Welcome to this week’s edition of “Things I probably shouldn’t publicly admit!” Last time, we covered my newly-discovered bulk seed secret. Today, I’m going a little deeper into self-analysis, and the results involve lamps, bagels, and my mom’s labor and delivery doctor (just… go with it, okay?). So, here’s something you should about me: I’m a […]

We heard you loud and clear: MORE simple tips that help you look or work a little sexier online… to prove we can take a hint: 01. Remove Backgrounds from any Image in One-Click TONIC designer + SEO expert Ryan showed us an amazing free online app this week and blew our MINDS. No more spending hours […]

For today’s story, which is actually about stories, we have three bonus surprises to help you tell yours better: I grew up on a 242-acre ostrich ranch (more on that next time, I swear), in a dusty Central Texas horse town filled with cowboys wearing skinny jeans LONG before the world was ready… where the best example […]

Fun fact: a few months ago, we were contemplating ending our oft both loved and hated newsletter. It had started to feel, honestly, a little like a chore to brainstorm, prep, write and send a newsletter every week, and while we knew we were SUPPOSED to build + serve “our email list” (i.e. you guys!) or else […]