Testimonials
The exercises you put us through generated GREAT IDEAS and lots of laughter and bonding as an organization of women entrepreneurs! I am excited with what I'm using already!!! —Nancy Harms, Manager, Findables
Read MoreTRANSFORMOTION™ in a Box video gallery
These videos show more about what's in our Spring box and concrete ways that TRANSFORMOTION™ can help you innovate in your organization.
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Martha Bartlett Piland was inducted into the Kansas Business Hall of Fame March 2. The honor recognizes those who have exhibited unparalleled leadership qualities, had proven business success and played an instrumental role in shaping the vision for a stronger community.
Fasten your seatbelt for a job shadowing day like no other. We're looking for 6 smart, super groovy students to join us on March 21, 2017, for a hands-on, fast-paced, day-in-the-life experience.
Consider it your pre-graduation real world test drive.
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We've, expanded our strategic team with the addition of an award-winning local entrepreneur, Kristen Kogl, as Account Coordinator.
Welcome, Kristen!
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We're thrilled to share our news about creative honors at the 2017 ADDY Awards for client work as well as some self promotion. The competition was fierce, with terrific creative all around.
Three cheers to everyone who entered.
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Credit Donkey has named our blog one of the "Best Small Business Marketing Blogs for 2016: Top Experts to Follow."
We're thrilled!
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It can be easy to lose sight of the good happening in the world. So MB Piland created "See the Good," a photo exhibit to shine a little light. Comprised of hundreds of submissions from clients and friends, it captures moments of good found all around us.
University of Kansas student Moriyah Ramberg has been selected for the 2016 MB Piland summer marketing internship. MB Piland designed the program to provide hands-on experience for young people preparing for a career in business and marketing.
Seveneightfive Magzine has named Martha Bartlett Piland one of its 2016 Women Who Rock.
"I'm thrilled to be included on this list... and in ithe company of such an impressive circle of other women," said Martha.
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Martha Bartlett Piland has written Culturing Creative, a guidebook for fostering the curiosity and creativity that solve everyday problems.
Creativity solves problems, engineers spaceships and builds brands. It makes everything go.
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Martha Bartlett Piland was honored as the Outstanding Entrepreneur at GO Topeka's 2015 Women of Influence awards.
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Marketers are spending a lot of time talking about the customer journey. We’re not hearing the same talk about the employee journey, and that’s a shame. Because the customer journey with your brand will be bumpy at best if the employee journey isn’t thoughtfully mapped out and put into action first.
It’s an all-too-common malady: sales are flabby or fundraising goals are lagging, so leadership determines that a fresh new ad campaign is just the thing to make everything right.
When we start asking questions to diagnose the situation, we often discover something else: an internal problem.
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If you ever put your car in drive with your parking break engaged, the car lets you know it right away. Ignore the warning at your own peril.
You know not to do it to your car. So why let it happen to your brand?
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Have you put off planning, budgeting and—dare I say it—dreaming? If so, you’re probably working too much in the business and not enough on the business.
Don't wait for a crisis. Plan now.
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Amazon Chairman Jeff Bezos has famously said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
If you take this to heart, you need to understand all the people who talk about you when you’re not in the room.
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Special blog submission by Moriyah Ramberg
I was lucky enough to be selected for MB Piland’s internship program this summer. Now that I’ve had time to reflect on it, I'd like to share tips on how to make an internship a valuable experience for both boss and intern, starting with the first day.
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The starlet (insert name) was stunningly beautiful—until she opened her mouth and became a devastating disappointment to her fans. Her foot will be removed from her mouth with the help of a good PR agent.
Branders: it’s harder for you. You have numerous people who can make your brand look dazzling—or like Hollywood’s biggest trainwreck.
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Be honest: have you ever heard an employee (sincerely) say “OH cool—I’m so excited!” when you announced a staff retreat? For many, the thought of a day away from the office stuffed into a conference room to plan sounds like as much fun as a root canal.
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Look into the proverbial closet of your organization. Chances are, there are a few habits or tactics you know you need to give up—but for some reason, just can’t. Worst case scenario: you have a vast store house that needs to be purged.
What’s still hanging around is weighing you down. It's a sign of sickness that needs immediate intervention.
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I was a tourist in Branson, MO recently and as to be expected, had some sub-par experiences in the crowded restaurants. Many seemed perfectly happy offering mediocre food and sticky seats. They know I probably won’t be back, because some other stranger will take my place. They're just in it for today's dollar.
On the flip side, you actually want stickiness in your institution. You're in it for today's and tomorrow's dollars.
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I recently asked a variety of C-level people how often they were called on by a banker trying to get their business. I heard one thing that surprised me—and it’s not what you think.
Several said they don’t really need a loan, so they weren’t that interested in talking to a banker. Wait. What?!
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Are you making yourself indispensable to your business customers? Treat them like rock stars and they’ll have little reason to consider doing business with other institutions.
You don't have to stock their offices with M&M's (minus a certain color) and a special brand of sparkling water.
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I recently had trouble with a community bank’s technology and emailed a banker there to complain in what I hope was a polite—but very frustrated—manner. The response was swift and unexpected.
She thanked me.
Your board meets regularly. Maybe they sign loan approvals or give advice. Do they do anything else for you? What about growing your organization? It's time to amp up expectations.
Whether you’re working with a governing board or an advisory board, here are a few simple steps to spark more engagement from your board of directors and boost your business development program.
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The monster lurking around the corner isn’t the economy or absence of a marketing budget. It’s a lack of strategy that keeps you from achieving your business development goals.
While Jack had magic beans, you don't.
Doing the minimum.
This has such a negative connotation in our culture, but what if you embraced that concept? What’s the minimum you need to do in order to create the desired impact or change?
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Sometimes when you’re working in the the business instead of on the the business, you lose sight of the big picture. You become so embedded in the details, the view is myopic. You’re dealing with trees when you should be managing the forest.
Whether you’re growing customers, pitching a reporter or recruiting board members, you have to make some asks. It can be uncomfortable. But to advance your objectives, you’ve gotta brave the cold.
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