I work in PR and Communications, and every which way I turned, I saw various shades of brilliance in this campaign. Here’s why:

1. It garnered some fantastic press for Crowley Webb.
2. It garnered the finalists in the contest–and especially You and Who–some fantastic press, something that any start-up covets.
3. It created great public relations for Crowley Webb within the local community, business and otherwise. People took note of what they were doing, and recognized they were offering up free labor in an effort to help give a local start-up much-needed tools to succeed.
4. It created an opportunity for a start-up to receive thousands of dollars of free services that it would otherwise not be able to afford.
5. It was a fantastic team bonding exercise for Crowley Webb, who emerged, what appeared to be, a stronger and closer team.
6. It created an opportunity for Crowley Webb to gain a client for life, bonding both companies together. You and Who is head-over-heels in love with and devoted to CW for all of that they’ve done for us, and, after this experience, we’ll only want to further this relationship.
7. It shined a light on Crowley Webb in the ad community–it certainly made everyone sit up and pay attention to what was going to come of this.
8. It shined a light on You and Who and breathed new life into our company–Crowley Webb gave us a new, sharpened identity that will position us to take our company to new heights.
9. It demonstrated that collective brainpower, when harnessed and put to the test for a greater purpose, can rise above expectations and put forth something worthwhile, smart and creative.
10. And it proved that the craziest, most spontaneous, off-the-wall ideas are sometimes the biggest strokes of genius, and when done with the right crowd, can be rewarding beyond measure.

Crowley Webb put a tough task in front of themselves, but they did it right: a morale team was in place, responsible for keeping the team energized and enthusiastic throughout their all-nighter, complete with music on the hour, yoga breaks, a midnight run, and a scheduled snowball fight which, unfortunately, Mother Nature didn’t cooperate with. They also had a sustenance team that was responsible for feeding and hydrating everyone, which they did so with fantastic local restaurants including the Armor Inn, Lloyd’s Tacos, Curly’s, and La Nova. They even had an ice cream and dessert cart that came calling for that needed pick-me-up. Yes, Crowley Webb is a creative company, but it didn’t cease to amaze me just how prepared they were to make sure this 25-Hour Workday was a memorable one for staff. Some of the highlights included an MTV “Real World”-style Secret Confessional, ping pong, impromptu dance parties in the middle of the photo shoot, BBQ wings at 2am, a visit from an adorable puppy named “Lucky,” footie pajamas…you get the idea. If you’re going to spend 25 consecutive hours working your @ss off, this is the group you want to go to war with.

We arrived back to Crowley Webb’s offices at 9am on Friday morning for the final presentation. The team presented market research findings, strategies for the media, social media, and public relations, and most importantly a new brand identity. This included a modified logo, new style patterns and textures, a website design (which Dan will implement), packaging materials, and a Look Book which will showcase all of our products for retailers to view. When you cram so much into such a short period of time, or when you try to rush the creative process, there’s always a risk of sacrificing some of the details. However, this was not the case. The details were ever-present and it was apparent that great thought went into You and Who’s needs and our audience. We were blown away.

Mike, me and Dan getting ready to hear the "Big Idea" from Crowley Webb. We were excited.

A shot of some of the staff as they were gathering to show us the "Big Idea." They were excited too.

When it was over and they asked us what we thought, Dan was about to speak but caught one look at my eyes welling up with tears. He couldn’t go on speaking. We were all overcome with emotion at the gravitas of what was just presented, and none of us knew what to say. When you’re starting out as a small business, you put everything you have into seeing it grow. It starts with a small idea that gets nurtured daily. You can only give as much as your current resources will let you, and you end up working harder than you ever thought you could for something that you’re just trying to lift off of the ground. The little things are huge wins, and the big things move you to tears. That’s the place we were on Friday morning. It became overwhelming to look at 45 faces looking at us for our reaction to their hard work for 25 straight hours. Delirious from lack of sleep, but yet still energized, wanting to please us. They wanted to please us. They knew what our work meant to us, and they wanted their work to mean something too. In the beginning phases of owning a business, all you have is yourself and maybe a few people working with you. In our case, there’s only three of us. But this time, we had an additional 45 sets of hands making a giant push for You and Who to lift even further off the ground, and hopefully start to fly. How could we not be moved to tears? It was almost too much to grasp. And it made us–me, Dan and Mike–realize that, not only were we not alone, but Crowley Webb has put a face to what we’ve been envisioning for over a year. We can see it now. It’s right in front of us. And our success is that much clearer because of what this creative agency did for us.

I was a little embarrassed to have shed a few tears, but I couldn’t help it–it was an honest reaction. And I was now amongst friends who understood why, because they had worked just as hard. But it’s good. It’s all good. The tears come knowing that other people out there–lots of them– want you to succeed as much as you do. The tears come when you know your efforts aren’t for nothing. That you’re not shouting into a black hole; that people are listening.

Pete presents the "Big Idea"

As someone who works in marketing and communications, I know that this field is the Rodney Dangerfield of the business world. It doesn’t get the respect it deserves–it’s usually the last area that gets attention and the first area that gets cut when finances are tight. I’ve always disagreed with this from a personal standpoint, but let me explain why, as a business owner, this is a critical function: without a strong brand, consumers don’t take you seriously. You have a weak identity. And with a weak identity, you have a meek voice. And without a strong voice, you lack influence, and even relevance, with whom you’re trying to reach. We had a message, but Crowley Webb gave us an identify and a platform upon which to speak. So that when we do speak, people will listen because we look like we have something to say. Every business person knows that first impressions make a difference. That’s why people dress a certain way, speak a certain way, present themselves a certain way–because they want to be taken seriously. Now, You and Who can be taken seriously–we look the part of a national company in 32 markets.

I need to mention here that one of the most critically important components of this entire 25-Hour Workday was the photo shoot Crowley Webb orchestrated with top-notch photographer, Aaron Ingrao, from which the images will be used for You and Who’s new website, Look Book, and our other marketing materials. On top of pulling off that amazing feat, makeup artist and hair stylist Katie Ambrose dropped everything when I frantically called her at 3pm to see if she would be willing and able to do the makeup for the models. Aaron and Katie are incredible artists, and the fact that each so generously and graciously offered up about 10-12 hours of their time is something that again leaves me speechless. This is yet another significant expense, beyond the services Crowley Webb was providing, that would have been difficult for You and Who to fund, but was essential for creating the type of materials we need as a clothing retailer. Thank you Aaron and Katie – your work made an enormous impact on the rebrand of You and Who.

Katie Ambrose giving You and Who model Matt a touch-up on set.

Manny, one of the You and Who models.

Crowley Webb even ironed our shirts for the photo shoot. Thanks Darryl!

From soup to nuts (or should I say from the egg casserole to the BBQ wings), this whole experience was off-the-charts incredible, the value of which cannot be underscored. Between the outstanding customer service we’ve received from Crowley Webb, to watching how fantastic they interacted with one another as a team, to seeing the sharp concepts they put together for us, to the extreme generosity that was shown to us by incredibly talented people all for the sake of helping our business succeed is something words cannot do justice. In fact, I know that the rewards from this experience will be reaped for years to come. We gave an interview to The Buffalo News, and I told the reporter that, yes, you can crunch the numbers to see how much value in services You and Who is receiving from Crowley Webb; however the whole experience and what we’re taking from it cannot be measured. It’s truly invaluable. Where do we begin to put a value on people’s time? Where do we begin to put a value on their creative ideas? How do we put a value on them working for our company as if it were their own? How much do you value those who are doing this and not getting paid for it? You can’t begin to put a numerical value on it, and if you try, then you’re missing the bigger picture of what this project was all about. It’s about helping someone–a start-up, and in this case, a start-up trying to help those in need around the country. And we all know that when you help someone, it invokes a deep sense of gratification in both the giver and the receiver that goes beyond measure.

Some of you may be reading this and think, “sheesh, a little dramatic, no?” Nope, not dramatic. This is what an outpouring of heartfelt gratitude sounds like.

Jeff Pappalardo, Creative Director and one of the partners at Crowley Webb, tweeted us yesterday with what summed up the experience for us:

We were happy to know You and Who weren’t the only ones who got something out of this. It was a very special moment for both of our companies. Crowley Webb discovered they had it in themselves to come up with some fantastic creative work under extreme circumstances. And You and Who got the brand they always envisioned but couldn’t create alone.

Before I wrap up, the final point about this experience worth noting is the type of company Crowley Webb is. Few companies would offer up thousands of dollars of free services, or the time of every single employee for 25 hours to focus on one client. And few companies would make it as fun for their employees as they did, turning it into as much a team-building exercise as offering creative services for a new client–and come out stronger as a result. And even fewer companies would cry with you at the end of it all, knowing that what just occurred–for both companies–was something nothing short of amazing. Crowley Webb is the type of company that is an urban legend of sorts: where employees like each other, get along, have fun, work hard, respect the clients, but most of all, respect the talents of one another and know how to work together in a way that leverages everyone’s abilities. Few companies like this exist, but one shines brightly in Buffalo. If I were to ever want to work for someone else, it would be Crowley Webb, without a doubt. They are a true team, and their work reflects that.

Thank you to our dear friends at Crowley Webb, to Aaron Ingrao, Katie Ambrose, the wonderful models for our photo shoot, the media that had an interest in covering this great story, and to our family, friends, fans, artists and shelters across the country that helped us win this contest. Without each of you, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do on a daily basis, nor would we be facing a very bright future ahead. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

To take a glimpse into this crazy day, check out Crowley Webb’s Blog, The Daily Revision, and their Flickr page, full of great photos. And if you want to see how 25 hours is done in 3 minutes, take a look at this little video Crowley Webb put together to show the mad genius of it all.

Video and photo credits: Crowley Webb and Katie Krawczyk

Love.

It’s as simple as that. I want everything I do to embody love. I want my existence to be about love. And I want to remember and embrace that love is at the heart of all good things.

Dearest Katie,

Your life continues to evolve in ways you never thought possible. And your growth along the way shows through in everything you do. You remain true to who you are and your beliefs, and you honor the knowledge you’ve gained along the way. You respect yourself and others, and are shown the same respect in return. You love with your whole heart, and hold nothing back when giving yourself to the people and causes you believe in, and you’ve been greatly rewarded for this. You continue to be a student of life, embracing the unknown and the unlearned with fervent passion and great excitement. It’s these qualities that make you the bright light you are, and what fill your life with the joy and fulfillment you’ve always wanted.

All I want to say to you now is this: continue doing what you’re doing. Trust in yourself and in your instincts. You know what you need, and you know that what you have is a direct result of your desires. You have the power and capability to do anything you dream. So, in the words of your loving father who has told you this your whole life, make it happen. And believe that you can.

You’re something special. Know that, and live it.

Love now and always,

Your self

It still amazes me to say this, but it’s anger that I have started to let go of in 2011 and will continue to let go of in 2012.

I have never thought of myself as an angry person, and, in fact, I’m generally happy most of the time. But over the past several years, I’ve been on a spiritual journey of sorts, examining my behaviors and thought patterns that I’ve never considered before. One of the realizations I made in 2011 was this deep-seeded anger that resides within me. And what was scary was the sudden realization these feelings have been there without my conscious knowing of them. Lurking beneath the surface, my anger was bringing about situations and people in my life that had me thinking “where the hell did this come from??” yet, because it was hidden, I didn’t realize my own responsibility in certain matters. And what has been scary about this learning process is realizing that I’ve held onto feelings I had no conscious recollection of, yet were actively shaping my life.

Who knows how, why or when this anger first started developing. I know that I’ve only just started scratching the surface to those questions. But now that awareness has begun, there is no going back. In order to heal myself and become a more peaceful, fluid being on earth, I want to release this anger completely. Already, with what I have released in 2011, I can sense a greater calm about me, and it’s shown in what’s reflected back with who and what make up my life. I look forward to what life will bring as a reflection of an even greater release in 2012.

This is tough. I know I’m not remembering every important moment, but here are the ones that stand out the most to me now. Perhaps I’ll start keeping a memory jar that I can refer to next December. Here it goes:

Memory 1:

My niece, Clare (16 months), running back and forth between my sister and I, who were each feeding her some of my birthday cake. With each bite, she kept going “MMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!” at the top of her lungs, and then excitedly sprinting over to the other aunt for more. Oh Wegmans, you gained a new fan for life that day. Then, completely hopped up on sugar, Clare gets naked and proceeds to run around my apartment bouncing from hysterically laughing family member to the next. Complete with naked somersaults and a cheek-spread, we were beyond hysterical. It was something I will never forget as long as I live, and something that made me realize just how funny she is. This child has a gift for making people laugh, and she made my birthday one of the most memorable I’ve had.

Memory 2: 

Erasmus Universiteit Fall Semester 2001, 10 year reunion in Rotterdam, Holland. Everything about it.

Memory 3: 

Being in St. Lucia and starting to plot out the creative, innovative, fast-paced, everything-is-a-possibility life that I embarked upon one month later.

Memory 4: 

The feeling of utter freedom and exhilaration when I quit my full-time job, knowing the possibilities were endless and that what was next was all up to me.

Memory 5: 

Falling in love with Dan. And knowing–for the first time–that I have a partner for life.

There is no “one thing” that has happened this year that reassures me 2012 will be fine. Instead, it’s a conglomeration of events and moments between loved ones and even strangers that show me–daily–that life is good. In fact, life is great. And it will only get better.

I am a very blessed person, and I have always known this. However, I don’t believe that I’ve ever been this happy or content with my life in the way I am now. And I hesitate to use the word “excited” when I think about what’s to come, not because I don’t look forward to what’s next, but because I don’t want to hold any expectations for the future. I want to be pleasantly surprised and completely open to where life is going to head. I have faith that whatever–or whoever–comes along will be exactly what I need at the exact moment it arrives. To say I hope for certain things takes away from the raw beauty of the moment for when new things or people spring up.

Each day, I look around and take note of the supportive family, caring friends, loving companion, warm home and stimulating work that surrounds me. All of these elements brings me great joy, comfort and serenity. Of course, the years will bring change, but my only wish is to peacefully and lovingly welcome and embrace such changes.

Change is inevitable, and it can undoubtedly be scary. Depending on your current position in life, you either long for it or dread it. We all, to a certain extent and regardless of our current situation, fear it. Or, rather, we fear what’s unknown. It’s natural, and perhaps that’s why we feel the need for reassurance that “everything’s going to be ok.” When we attempt to reassure ourselves, in a way, it’s acknowledging that fear. And when you acknowledge it, then it’s existence becomes a real thing. Even more real becomes the power to create the situations we fear. I am a firm believer in the power that each of us create our own situations in life, regardless of how much something may seem out of our own control. We invite everything–and everyone–into our lives, knowingly or not. I’ve come to this realization after several years of not acknowledging my own responsibility for what I didn’t like about my life. But, like anything, we can’t accept accolades for our successes but deny responsibility for our failures. And, by the way, failure is not a bad thing. They are gifts that make you become a better version of yourself.

It’s because of that belief that I don’t look outside of myself for comfort in knowing everything is ok, or that everything will be ok in the future. My happiness is in my hands, and I plan on making my life something I look forward to living each moment of every day.

This is an odd question, and, for awhile, it was really hard to come up with an answer that I was 100% happy with. It made me sad if I thought too much about a song for “the end,” but then I became completely stumped when applying it to the context of saying au revoir to 2011.

Suddenly, “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane popped into my head out of the blue (“pops” that like are what I like to think of as flashes of brilliance). It’s a song that reminds me of Dan for some reason, and it also makes me rather melancholy. Perhaps I become saddened by the melody, but it also implies an ending of things. I remember hearing this song quite a bit while Dan was away this fall, and every time I would hear it, I would miss him even more.

Studying the lyrics, I see why this flashed into my mind when I was considering what my Outro would be, and perhaps why I think of Dan when I hear it. In addition to the ending this song implies, the lyrics point to the need to return to a place that holds special meaning. In the end, what matters most are the people, places and moments that hold that kind of meaning, as they, collectively, add up to what becomes your life’s story.

Enjoy the song. It’s beautiful.

I am a very blessed person for being able to say what I’m about to: I don’t think there is just one person that I love unconditionally, nor is there only one person that loves me unconditionally. There have been people throughout my life, some with me longer than others, that have proven to be loyal and loving companions. I’m unsure if unconditional love can be one-way. Perhaps it’s possible, and you could probably argue it either way. But I tend to believe this kind of love runs so deep and powerful that both people would have to be conscious of this type of bond, and for the bond to exist, it would be a reciprocated feeling.

My parents have, from the beginning, shown me love regardless of how much we may have driven each other crazy in the early years. Throughout my adulthood, they’ve become people I confide in just about every aspect of my life and inner most thoughts. I know they have a deeper level of understanding where my words and actions come from, and I know I don’t have to explain my rationale. They just get it – they get me.

But then there’s Dan. I never honestly thought I’d find someone that loves me for me, and accepts every inch of me exactly as I am. I know that may sound ridiculous to some, but if you’ve ever been in a pattern of hurtful, neglectful relationships that you feel succumbed to, then you understand what I mean. Dan, and what he brought into my life, was something so totally unexpected that I held him at arm’s length at first. Probably because I wasn’t ready to embrace the magnitude of it. When you first get to know someone on an intimate level, it can be quite stressful. You’re exposing layers of yourself that you’ve kept hidden from only those that have known you forever or are related to. You–knowingly or not–start showing bits of yourself that you don’t even like to acknowledge, and hope that this person doesn’t think any less of you. Likewise, you discover those bits about them they’re afraid to expose as well. I’ve been continually surprised this year by the openness and steadiness of Dan’s love for me, and also by my love in return for him. We’ve only been together for about a year and an half, but I am more in love with him now than I was when the feeling first struck me.

These growing feelings reaffirm that honest love is not about the bells and whistles that go off when you are first attracted to someone, but, rather, it’s the growing levels of admiration, respect and caring you can experience for someone that is not yourself. And what I mean by that is, you spend the most time with yourself (naturally). You’ve been with yourself your whole life. You’re stuck with you. You don’t get to leave. But this kind of love is out of choice. It’s without obligation. It’s felt for someone that you know only beginning from a certain point in your life. They’re different than you in how they were raised, their background, maybe their beliefs. And then, suddenly, the life you’ve been moving forward with is not just for you but for someone else too.

Never have I experienced this kind of love before until this year, and it’s inexplicable. I’ve mentioned Dan before and how I’ve never felt freer to be me than I do now in the presence of someone else. I mention only my parents and Dan in this post because I have only ever felt this kind of exposed, on a soul level, with these three people. Perhaps that’s how I can best explain Dan’s presence in my life and the love we have for each other: my parents gave me life and loved me the way only parents can for their children; and Dan gave me new life and loves me the way that only a true life partner can.

New love–and new life–was breathed into me this year, making me feel more peaceful and safe than I have ever felt about life here on earth. 2011 marked an unexpectedly beautiful new beginning.

It has always been a dream of mine to go to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, and I would L-O-V-E to make that happen this year. You and Who is planning for a big year in 2012, and what will be part of that is attending various high-profile fashion industry trade shows to not only showcase our products, but also gain inspiration for the next phase of our business. I’ve never had the reason or opportunity to attend Fashion Week in New York, until now.

A good friend that used to work in the fashion industry mentioned that New York Fashion Week in September is rather overwhelming to first-timers, but the February event is much more palatable. It’s only six weeks away (!!), but I hope to make it to New York for the shows. If, for some reason, February doesn’t work out for us, we will try our hand at attending some of the shows in September. Either way, attending New York Fashion Week would be a dream. And just imagining myself amongst some of the industry’s best and aspiring newcomers makes me damn near giddy. For me, that is one huge “To Do” I’ll be able to scratch off the bucket list.

What makes any day perfect is by spending it with those you love and/or doing the things you enjoy. Those type of days come in many forms, whether it be a reunion with old friends, a romantic getaway, a girls (or guys) night out, a date night with yourself, or opening gifts with your closest family members on Christmas. I don’t believe in one perfect day. Each day is perfect in its own way, and truly, it’s what you make of it. If there are people in your life that you don’t like, or if you find yourself doing things that you prefer not to, then start to recognize your own power and change it. Once you do, you’ll start to have more perfect days. Who wants just one?