Carina May

President @SmithHarroff | Alum @Virginia_Tech

[Carina May @carinazmay]

If you have any book recommendations (business or otherwise) I'd love to hear them! One of my goals for 2024 is to read more!!! https://t.co/74uVmHFl2K

[Carina May @carinazmay]

🎯 Success mantra: solid strategy + focused content + consistency in dissemination = victorious results! https://t.co/QEYc5znpwf

[Associations Now @AssociationsNow]

Goal setting at a major organization can be massively complicated. Want to cut through the noise quick? Find your mission on: https://t.co/dUaThKkU0p

[Carina May @carinazmay]

@VTFacilities @virginia_tech 💕💞💕💞

[Billy Oppenheimer @bpoppenheimer]

In 1985, Nike held a 24-hour shoe design contest.

Nike was struggling. Their stock dropped 50%. They had to lay off people. Adidas, Converse, & Reebok were all selling more shoes.

So in a panicked attempt to find creative talent, Nike held a shoe design contest.

The winner was

A corporate architect named Tinker Hatfield.

"Two days after the competition," he said, "I wasn't even asked—I was told that I was now a footwear designer for Nike."

As he got to work on his first official shoe design, he thought about a building he had studied in architecture school: The Centre Pompidou in Paris.

The Centre Pompidou is an inside-out building, meaning that the structural, mechanical, and circulation systems are all exposed.

“That building,” Tinker said, “was describing what it was to the people of Paris. And I thought, ‘Well why not do that with a shoe? Let’s cut a hole in the side and show what’s in the shoe.’”

So Tinker designed an inside-out shoe:

The Air Max 1.

The Air Max 1 was a massive success, and it steered Nike's design direction from then on.

"To this day," Tinker says, "Phil Knight says I saved Nike."

Takeaway 1:

Had he not studied that building in Paris, Tinker says, he couldn’t have created the Air Max.

Creativity, he says, is a function of the “library in your head."

“When you sit down to create something...what you create is a culmination of everything you’ve seen and done previous to that point.”

Takeaway 2:

Tinker Hatfield went to architecture school and then he was a corporate architect for 4.5 years. Then, literally overnight, he became one of the best shoe designers in the world.

This makes me think of a counter-intuitive discovery made by psychologist Charles Spearman in 1904.

Before Spearman, the natural assumption was that the more you specialize in one thing, the worse you’ll be at other things.

Instead, Spearman discovered "the positive manifold" phenomenon.

He found that different abilities tend to be positively correlated. That the expertise gained through specialization is transferrable. That the cognitive and creative abilities cultivated as an architect could positively correlate with being a shoe designer.

- - -

"Creativity is a function of the previous work you put in."  — Robert Greene

Follow @bpoppenheimer for more content like this!

[Carina May @carinazmay]

The OG flip phone is now an artifact lol!! The National Museum of Natural History has a new exhibit opening on 6/23 that traces the history of our favorite appendage, complete with 300+ objects on display!

[Washingtonian 🌸 @washingtonian]

Concerts, festivals, and more fun things to do this June. Mark your calendars!
https://t.co/iqlG9np0IA

[Carina May @carinazmay]

ICYMI - This 5-part audio series delves into navigating challenges and communicating effectively during difficult situations with very high stakes. https://t.co/06xWEdlK9m

[Van Gogh Exhibit @VanGoghExp]

Your Opportunity To Sit Under 'Starry Night' is here ✨

[Carina May @carinazmay]

A great piece of advice I received years ago that I still often remind myself: "Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good." https://t.co/AgI7xQ9Atf

[Social Media Examiner @SMExaminer]

Learn how to create more effective marketing campaigns by learning how your buyers make purchase decisions. 👇

https://t.co/8huPu5gpky

[Carina May @carinazmay]

Here are a few fast facts about the top platforms US consumers are using in 2023: https://t.co/6EoJilQMyt #socialmedia #consumertrends #digitalmarketing

[Smith & Harroff @smithharroff]

When done correctly, retargeting can be a great way to get a second chance to connect with people who have shown an initial interest but have not yet taken any action. https://t.co/J4XGXrZNbI #remarketing #retargeting #digitalmarketing

[Carina May @carinazmay]

Saying NO sometimes is NOT a bad thing!! https://t.co/Zeq7gTa14u #theartofsayingno #prioritization #focus

[Carina May @carinazmay]

According to HubSpot, 57% of Gen Z and 42% of millennials prefer to learn about products through short-form video. https://t.co/B5dTKbEIJe #GenZMarketing #MillennialEngagement #ShortFormVideoTrend

[Carina May @carinazmay]

“Don’t ask if your dream is crazy, ask if it’s crazy enough.” ~Lena Waithe

[Carina May @carinazmay]

Existing stakeholders like volunteer champions & ambassadors can help facilitate nonprofit association advocacy efforts & encourage involvement. Don't underestimate the power of good communication and leveraging this group to help your organization grow! https://t.co/zSxoY4dx19

[Carina May @carinazmay]

So many people say they cringe when they hear the sound of their own voice. Kick those thoughts to the curb! https://t.co/6OGZObNHhf #confidentcommunication #empoweredvoice

[Carina May @carinazmay]

According to this HBR article, research shows that consumers prefer products where an element of them was found unintentionally. https://t.co/ajZioLgahm #consumers #marketing #branding

[Carina May @carinazmay]

💸 Did you know that the #GoogleAdGrants program offers eligible nonprofits up to $10k every month to run digital ads on Google? Learn about how our experts at Smith & Harroff can help you get set up! https://t.co/dg2zzA3bFk 🚀 #marketing #communications #nonprofitmarketing