I thought for my inaugural Urban Jungle post I would talk about stuff that I really like. T-Shirts, Fancy Typography, Branding and Baked Goods! Johnny Cupcakes does not, contrary to popular belief, sell cupcakes rather an awesome looking clothing line….but let’s be honest, the clothing is great, but the branding is what really gets my motor running.
Johnny Cupcakes is definitely taking the baked goods theme and running with it. Their stores look like bakeries, their print collateral looks like it’s adorned with sprinkles, and although I don’t own any of their clothing I imagine it smelling like birthday cake the first time you wear it (Doubtful, but wouldn’t that be AWESOME!!) The activity book from their LA store has some fantastic illustrations and typography and really conveys how much fun the company is.
Speaking of fun, check out the video Johnny Cupcakes made with video geniuses Kamp Grizzly. Cupcake Cannon? You betcha! Really inspiring to see a company taking their branding to the next level and being incredibly successful at it.
When I was a kid, I always got in trouble from my teachers.
While they all loved me and thought I was a great kid, I was “easily distracted,” I “asked too many questions,” and as a result I didn’t do that hot in school. Even today, if you ask anyone who knows me well, they’ll tell you that I have never been one for doing what I’m told. I dance to the beat of my own drum and that’s probably why I’ve owned my own business since I was 23. My mind is always going and I’m always thinking of new opportunities and new ways of doing things.
Digressing (slightly), I am not one for doing what’s considered normal, I buck the trends, I try and zig when others zag, blah, blah, blah, blah….
So it’s only natural that my unconventional style mixed with my inquisitive nature made me question everything about my industry. Like, why do great companies choose “template” solutions from marketing firms? Why do business owners try to “play it safe with their brand?” Why do so many marketing & communications companies in Edmonton have such shitty internal communications? Why do marketing professionals put in 60+ hour work weeks? And why do we (as a society, not just marketers) work 5+ days a week?
Can anyone tell me the history behind the 5 day work week? Seriously – I am genuinely interested in finding the answer. When did this start? More importantly, why did this start? Most importantly, is it still relevant in today’s ultra-streamlined, fast-paced digital world? And if it isn’t, why do we still do it?
Who out there, wants a true work-life balance?
A lot of companies say it, but do they really practice what they preach? Some of you might say, “We take Fridays off.” No you don’t. I’m not talking just one day out of the month or just in the summer. I’m not talking a decrease in salary or benefits in lieu of time off.
I’m talking Fridays off-forever. Full salary. Full benefits.
I know when it came to questioning my own sanity and my own work-life balance, I found that 5 days at work did not equal 2 days at home. I’m no math major, but that sounds like a pretty imbalanced equation. What helped sealed the deal on this decision was the birth of amazing daughter, Harper. I wanted to spend as much time with her and my wife as I possibly could.
Earlier this year I made the decision to move Urban Jungle to the 4 day work week.
While many questioned this move and thought of it as too “hippie,” “lazy,” “laid-back” (fill in the blank with your favorite sleepy term); that over the course of the last year I have found it to be the exact opposite.
People find a way to fill up their time with stuff so that their work stretches the course of the 5 day week. You know it’s true, because you do it. So if we all do that, why don’t we just decrease the time frame we do our work in, “get it done,” and go home?
Fridays off is hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made for the company. Productivity is up. Creativity is up. Energy and enthusiasm are up.
Instead of staff (myself included) thinking, “Ugh, it’s Monday” – it’s, “Sweet! It’s Monday!” (Insert guido fist pump here).
Knowing that we all have Fridays off, means we can bust out to the lake and go wake boarding if we want to; we can cut the first tracks in the fresh powder at Marmott if we want to; or we can use that extra day catching up on errands, going to the AGA, reading a book, biking in the river valley, pampering ourselves at the spa, and spending more quality time with our family and friends.
If you are an employee, I ask that you push your boss to think about Fridays off. If they say, “hell no!” tell them to call me. If you are a boss, I encourage you to rethink the work week. I promise you that you will see a marked improvement in your work culture, starting with the staff and eventually trickling down to your customers.
Happy Staff = Happy Customers = Happy Boss, and that is a balanced equation everyone can understand.
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