2 min read
Date: Friday, 18 Aug 2023
I’m humbled you’ve taken the time to see what I’ve been secretly up to over the past few months. It means the world.
There’s an extended version to this story, but the short version is that it was time for me to explore “this thing” that’s been gnawing at me for some time and wouldn’t let up.
I began this journey as a solopreneur in 2003 and, twenty years later, realized I must continue as a lone wolf creator, a dark horse pursuing fulfillment.
I didn’t take this decision lightly. I explain a little more on the homepage of this site.
The homepage points to a Manifesto I spent the past few months writing. It’s a rallying cry for sovereign creators like us, outlining how we can attract and grow audiences of true fans.
The Manifesto embraces a nonconformist perspective on modern marketing that I’ve dubbed Open-World Marketing. It’s heavily influenced by the concept of non-linear world-building, something that’s near and dear to me.
Of course, there’s more to it than that, but I’ll leave you to explore for yourself.
If any of this resonates, I hope you stick around and be part of this next chapter of the journey with me. Your attention is a privilege.
Welcome to my new home.
André
P.S. — (The strange image of me above holds a personal story, but I’ll share it at a more appropriate time. For now, using this picture is meaningful to me.)
Life is a journey…
We’re the main character and auteur of our story unspooling in real-time towards an endpoint…
A real-life Lord of the Rings. Or Indiana Jones.
In the distance are our ordinating principles, pulling us toward something better — arranging, organizing, and structuring our thinking and internal compass to orientate towards it.
Along the way, helped by experience, we make our best guesses, sometimes rolling the dice and hoping for the best.
There are ups and downs, highs and lows. Sometimes there’s magic along the way. Fireworks! So we forge on with a skip in our step.
Looking back at my chronology, it’s hard to see the correlation between the starting point of this particular journey on October 23, 2003, and now.
Working with Shawn since 2019 has been the highlight of my professional career. There are few people I can point to, perhaps no one, who has more integrity.
So what’s next?
Shawn has big plans for TLB (soon to be MMS), and I’m incredibly excited…
I’m still around, lurking in the shadows.
TLB (MMS) is part of my DNA…
I’ve poured my heart and soul into it since launching it in 2011. It’s shaped my professional journey and who I am today — slightly upgraded and considerably more grayer and balder.
So I’ll still be around, behind the scenes, offering unwavering support to Shawn when he needs it as he takes the reins and leads TLB into its next exciting chapter as MMS.
Most of my focus now will be here on my personal domain, a click away, building out this Tiny Digital World for you to inhabit alongside TLB/MMS.
Two “worlds” to follow, to be immersed in, and to derive unimaginable value from.
What’s not to love?
A win-win from my perspective.