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Like Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown”, a successful brand, say Nike, is not just about a pair of sneakers. Nike could have limited its affinity to be only with sneaker-related products, such as deodorant shoe sprays, insoles, shoe strings, … but no, Nike has no interest whatsoever in viewing itself merely for the utility value of a pair of (smelly) sneakers. Nike constantly pushes the world to associate its brand with the indomitable spirits of the world’s best athletes. Nike wants to be a symbol for human aspiration, for justice, for freedom, and for humanity’s passion for achieving a higher level of greatness. Other brands like Apple and Tesla do the same.


The purpose of developing a brand--a successful brand--is to engage a brand’s target audience to experience, to create memories and affinity with the brand.


A brand is its vision, and the vision makes all the difference between Julia Child and Anthony Bourdain in presenting food and cooking, between branding Nike as sneakers instead of a symbol for human aspiration, between a computing machine rather than a brand for excellence called Apple, and between an electric car vs. humankind’s free orbiting vehicle in outer space.


If you want to watch this on video, here is the link: https://youtu.be/fwTNRxoNHjc


If you want to read it as a blog, here is the link:  https://10plusbrand.com/2021/06/16/what-the-worlds-best-brands-have-in-common/

Out of 60 questions, we only had time for 34. But Tim said that if there are enough sharing by the audience, he will answer the remaining 24 questions.  PLEASE SHARE!


Here are the 34 questions Joanne Z. Tan asked Tim and he answered:


As one of the earliest investors in digital currency, after paying  $19 MM for Bitcoin in 2014, how would you describe Bitcoin’s growth journey so far? Would you say that in 2014 Bitcoin was an “infant”? And now in 2021, a “teenager”? If so, as a 6th grader or a 10th grader?

How “mature” is Bitcoin and crypto currency? How many years before Bitcoin and crypto as a whole reach “maturity”? How long will it take for crypto assets (currency and block chain) to permeate the small business markets?

Elon Musk bought more than one billion worth of Bitcoins for Tesla in February 2021, then he voiced the issue about unsustainable use of energy for mining Bitcoin, which is more than all other types of crypto coins (I don’t want to compare carbon footprints of Bitcoin’s with Fiat’s and traditional banking institutions’, to keep it “orange to orange”.) Would you agree that Bitcoin is indeed a lot more energy consuming than Ether, Dogecoin, and all other altcoins and meme coins out there?

About Elon Musk’s support for Dogecoin: Unlike Bitcoin that has limited quantity, Dogecoin has no limit thus lacking the “scarcity” element as one of the intrinsic values. Do you think scarcity, albeit man-made, is important to crypto? 

Is volatility, as shown in the last few weeks of crypto’s roller coastering ride, an inherent trait of crypto?

Is there a correlation between stock market volatility and crypto currencies’ volatility?

In addition to the element of scarcity, what are other intrinsic values associated with crypto? Is traceability, (thanks to blockchain technology) that enables transparency of the source and all prior ownership, another unique value proposition that crypto has that fiat does not?

Now adding to scarcity and traceability, smart contracts can be added to crypto tokens such as Ether and the new kid on the block, ICT (Internet Computer Token) for various apps, would that be an indispensable or merely supplemental character for crypto?

Do you think smart contracts make crypto tokens more valuable?

As a tree-hugging environmentalist and an extremely concerned advocate for sustainability, I do agree with Elon Musk, and I would like to see adding the 4th element to crypto’s unique value proposition: sustainability. What do you think?

How would you describe crypto? Is it a currency? Is it a commodity? Is it a type of security? Is it all of the above, depending what utility is imbued into each particular crypto?

Do you believe Bitcoin is the “digital gold”?  If yes, will it rival and even surpass gold?

About inflation. Technological innovation is usually a force to counter inflation.  What is your assessment of the likelihood of PROLONGED inflation in the US in the next couple of years or even beyond? And Globally too? 

Is crypto a safe haven for protecting cash from devaluation caused by inflation? If yes, why, if no, why?

I can see the value of using dollar-backed crypto in countries where inflation is out of control, like in Venezuela - folks can bypass the banks and get their money stabilized by crypto. But for Americans, what is the use of having dollar-backed crypto? 

If traceability, transparency is one of the cornerstones for crypto’s intrinsic value, privacy is at odds with transparency.  But some tokens are offering privacy protection, what do you think of that?

What do you think of the many varieties of crypto coins, Meme coins, even “shit coins” out there? 

Peter Thiel was quoted saying in January 2021 that “Crypto is a secret financial weapon of the Chinese government”, then he was in the news issuing his o

Crypto, Elon Musk, Tim Draper


I will be interviewing Tim Draper on my next podcast series “Interview of the Notables and Influencers”. Tim Draper is a billionaire and Silicon Valley luminary who invested about $20 million in bitcoin in 2017. He is an unwavering believer in crypto through thick and thin. My next podcast, video, and blog post in early June 2021 will feature the entire interview.


In this podcast, I’m sharing with you WHY I am going to ask Tim Draper about crypto currencies, blockchain, inflation, Elon Musk, tax risks, crypto's relationship with fiat, and a few of the 60 questions I will be asking in the upcoming interview.


For the purpose of sharing my concerns for the average Joe investors, I will share my crypto journey, doubts and insights about crypto's future.


 

A brand is like a house. It needs to be remodeled, repaired, and maintained. If your brand is not refreshed in a timely manner, as the fast-changing world is, you are already behind the competition.


Lewis Carroll said this in Alice in Wonderland: "...we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that.” 


A leading and influential brand must be always relevant to its changing and evolving target audience in content, and must learn from, inspire, and enrich their lives.


A powerful brand should have vast room for adaptability and growth.  To keep running twice as fast to get anywhere, as Lewis Carroll said, it must first know exactly where it wants to go, and how to fuel its run with exhaling the obsolete and inhaling fresh oxygen, constantly.



Not only must a power brand always be relevant to its changing and evolving target audience, but it must also lead its target audience, inspire them, learn from them, and enrich their lives.



In an ideal situation, the brand and its target audience feed off each other's ideas and energy, somewhat like a rockstar feeding off his/her fans' enthusiasm.

We last talked about the ultimate macro of branding, by leveraging the Big Bang, to expand yourself rather than shrinking like a black hole. 


Look deep into DNA, and align your actions with your purposes.


To build a brand is the same as growing a purposeful life. Step by step, line by line, brick by brick, just as a tiny spider spins a tiny bit of thread to build a beautiful web a thousand times more impactful than itself.  With faith, we weave the fabric of our creation, thread by thread; with patience, we let harmonious parts reveal the bigger picture, to reflect the grand design of the universe and to be an interdependent member of its larger purpose.


A fulfilled life and/or an accomplished business result from aligning every movement, every effort, every phase of growth with its raison d’etre, - the most important reason for someone or something's existence, - staying true to your “brand DNA”. 


Brands need to be readjusted, realigned, and reinvented.


To be fully alive is to keep growing, expanding, transforming. 


That’s the only way to be in sync with the ultimate macro AND the extreme micro of the universe, the cradle of life and the final purpose of life.


We at 10 Plus Brand are your brand’s partner from birth, during growth, and in transformation.

Julie Castro Abrams is the founder, CEO and chair of How Women Lead, a network of 14,000 women. They are top executives, leaders, current and aspiring board members and investors. Julie is also the GP of How Women Invest, an angel investing fund that has invested millions in women owned startups. 


Recently, Julie was featured on Forbes magazine for her accomplishments on leading How Women Invest. She's also on one of the task forces of California Governor Gavin Newsom, "the first partners" initiatives. The interviewer, Joanne Tan, is personally involved with How Women Lead for over two and a half years, both as a member of the Leadership Committee and through helping aspiring executives to get on corporate boards, with their board bios, LinkedIn profiles and resumes.


Joanne describes Julie: "I have come to know Julie really well, and admire her passion, talent, brilliance, leadership, authenticity, and business savviness. All of these are inspiring to me and to lots of women."


The tide raises ALL boats.  Diversity is the tidal wave. Diversity increases the whole pie for everyone, and everyone stands to benefit.


Like it or not, America will be the most diverse country in the world and nobody can turn the tide. For those who don't like to be politically correct all the time, - I get you; but, there is a right way and a wrong way of dealing with diversity. Either you ride the tidal wave, or better, lead the wave, or you are being dragged kicking and screaming and end up being a “loser”, and get drowned by the inevitable.


Learn from the true leaders like Julia Abrams, it's not a waste of your time.