In almost 30 years of running our company, I’ve seen one silent brand-killer show up repeatedly. It’s not lack of talent; it’s not budget; it’s not even poor strategy.

It’s unquestioned assumptions.

And in my experience, one of the most powerful questions any leader can ask is this:

“What assumption are we making that’s no longer true?”

A couple of weeks ago, I shared an article titled, Sunrise or Sunset? Thoughts on AI, Creativity and Why We're Often Wrong. In it, I highlighted a conversation I had: At one of our Compassion Gallery events, I had an interesting exchange that’s stuck with me. Someone walked by our booth, glanced at a wall filled with sunrise and sunset

I have a challenge for you, but before I get to it, let me ask you a question. What would you need to spend to hire someone — or a few someones — to cover your design, communications, tech, digital, content, social and website needs? It adds up fast. And that’s before you even think about HR, onboarding, equipment, vacation, government taxes,

Long before conversations about artificial intelligence started dominating headlines, I was spending much of my life behind a camera capturing moments in remote villages and breathtaking landscapes, always with the goal of telling deeper stories through imagery. Photography has never just been a creative outlet for me; it’s a way of seeing the

Let’s be honest — behind every great decision is a room full of passionate people who probably didn’t all agree. I’ve been in countless meetings over the years where ideas bounce around, perspectives clash and tensions rise. People bring their best ideas and arguments to the table — and they should. It means they care. It means they’re invested.

There’s a storm brewing. You can feel it. Stubborn inflation, volatile markets, supply chain disruptions, global tensions — each one a warning sign that change is coming. Now, the threat of tariffs and trade wars is adding another layer of uncertainty, making it even harder for businesses to plan ahead. Maybe we’re heading into a full-blown

What’s more important: Building an internal empire or achieving real success?

At Bark, we believe technology and design can be powerful catalysts for brand impact. When Compassion, a global leader in child development and poverty alleviation, needed a solution to engage donors more effectively, they came to Radiant (Bark’s charitable division) to help reimagine their primary donor system, MyCompassion.

Over the last three decades of working with organizations, I’ve had many conversations that have left me thinking deeply about the intersection of stewardship, responsibility and leadership. A specific interaction has left a lasting impression on me...