Futurism, Brand Values and an Audiobook Giveaway!
Have you ever met with a branding professional? You should.
I recently sat down with a friend who’s a branding specialist, hoping to clarify how all the parts of my work fit together into a single, cohesive identity. As many of you already know, I’m a former U.S. diplomat, a freelance journalist, a foreign policy analyst, and now a sci-fi author. I’ve released my first novel, The Herd, and while these roles might look wildly different on paper, they’re more connected than you might think.
Discovering I’m a “Futurist” (Even If I Didn’t Love the Word at First)
One of the words my friend suggested was “futurist.” Initially, I was hesitant because it sounds like I sit around gazing into a crystal ball. But when I really thought about it, and then looked up the definition, I realized it describes what I actually do. My background in government and media, plus my tendency to “systems-think” (or overanalyze, depending on who you ask), helps me identify patterns in our current world and game-out how they could play out in the future.
My novel, The Herd (all 314 pages of it!), is one big thought experiment: I wrote it five years ago, and three of the many scenarios I explored have more or less come to pass—like the tension between the Washington Post and Jeff Bezos, Russia grabbing land in Ukraine, and the slow erosion of democratic norms thanks to rampant disinformation. Sounds heavy, but I promise it’s also a fun read—just with plenty of real-world undertones.
So yes, I’m warming up to the label “futurist”—or maybe “foreign policy analyst and sci-fi author who explores future scenarios rooted in real-world geopolitics, history, and social dynamics.” It’s a mouthful, but it captures everything I do.
Why Brand Values Matter
One of the most valuable insights from my branding session was seeing myself from an outside perspective. Sometimes you need a neutral observer to piece together the core of who you are and what you do. Out of that process, I identified four key values that drive all my work: transparency, truth, accountability, and freedom.
These values align closely with journalistic principles, and probably explain why I’m forever pulled back to reporting and writing, even though I never formally studied journalism. On a personal level, centering myself on these values helps me stay focused. On a professional level, it lets everyone know what to expect from my work and creative output.
What are your brand values?
Audiobook Giveaway!
On a lighter note, I’m thrilled to announce the audiobook release of The Herd. Since having kids, I’ve become a huge audiobook fan, so creating this was a big deal for me. Honestly, it was harder than I expected, I’m used to doing four-minute audio journalism pieces, not a six-hour narration! But it was worth every second, and I can’t wait for you to hear it.
I’ll be giving away three copies of the audiobook to my newsletter subscribers this week. If you’d like to enter, just leave a comment below with the word “audiobook” and share one of your own personal values (I love learning about what motivates you, too).
Thanks for reading, and I hope this helps you see a bit more of how all my “random” roles actually fit together. I appreciate your support and can’t wait to hear from you!
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