Why… you ask? Spend a couple of hours reading what his friends and colleagues have to say about Daniel Rothamel and you will want to be his friend too.

Checking my Facebook account this morning I came across a post by long time friend, Jeff Turner: Pay Attention To Your True Brand. You might remember Jeff from my July 2009 post, Living Your Brand. As expected, I enjoyed Jeff’s post and found his insight refreshing. What I didn’t expect, is that I would spend the next several hours learning about Daniel Rothamel of Strong Team Realtors, a lawsuit and the social media storm that has followed.

Google Search = ‘zebra lawsuit’ turned up these images (*credits below)

Just 5 days ago, on February 22, 2011, Denise Lones, President of The Lones Group, filed a complaint and ‘Demand for Jury Trial’ against Rothamel and Strong Team. Beyond what The Lones Group must have imagined… while the District Court of Washington was processing the paperwork… the court of public opinion granted a speedy trial and a jury of their peers assembled overnight. What probably appeared black and white then, [Yes, I too have fallen victim to zebra imagery], must seem much more gray and uncertain now.

The Lones Group took a wrong turn long before they filed the lawsuit. As Jeff Turner pointed out in his post, they shifted focus from their “true brand to the words and images that simply represent it.” Urs E. Gattiker, in his ComMetrics post, Brand vs. Reputation, cites Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, “Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room,” and Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Airways, “Build brands not around products but around reputation.” At this point, I doubt The Lones Group has any misgivings about what is being said when they “are not in the room.”

Regardless of what ultimately happens with the lawsuit, Denise Lones and company has managed to do some good. They have helped strengthen Daniel Rothamel’s brand, grow his circle of friends and ignite a popular twitter meme… #SaveTheZebra. They’ve inspired his supporters to speak out thru Facebook, YouTube, and countless blog posts/comments. Their actions even lead to the creation of a fund for Daniel’s legal defense. And last but not least… without Denise Lones grossly underestimating how truly connected and small the world has become… I might not have met Daniel Rothamel, our friend in the Zebra Suit.

Would the real Zebra, please stand up? Realtor, blogger, sued
Daniel Rothamel, popular blogger, Realtor, and friend to many was sued on Febuary 22, 2011 in Seattle District Court demanding relief in regards to Rothamel’s use of the Zebra stripes “trade dress” violations. The suit alleges that Rothamel and the Strong Team Realtors have violated their trademark by using the zebra stripes and alleges use of their trademark “was and is calculated to cause injury to Plaintiff in the State of Washington” which is why they’re seeking $75,000 in damages.

Zebra trademark backlash
About a week ago, The Lones Group in Washington state brought an action for trademark/tradedress infringement against Dan Rothamel and Strong Team Realtors (in Virginia) over the defendants’ use of some allegedly “confusingly similar” elements. As often happens, this didn’t sit well with a number of people (check out Twitter hashtag #savethezebra). Does the Lones Group have a case? If not, what could they have done differently to protect their marks? Could this have been resolved without a formal complaint and the resulting backlash?

When thanked for a kind deed or gift we often respond “it was the least I could do.” Did we actually calculate the least possible generous outcome before acting? Or… when someone shares bad news with us, do we really mean “I’m sorry to hear that?” It is more likely we’re sorry it happened rather than… sorry we heard about it.

When sharing these musings with my father-in-law, he offered his favorite funny-things-we-say in return. He doesn’t like hearing “hurting you is the last thing I would want to do,” because he figures it is still on their to-do list.

What are some of your favorite funny-things-we-say? Please share.

While I had other reasons for buying it, such as getting back in shape, the major influencer was the spill. If you are like me, watching oil spill out into the water and the subsequent damage to our environment and economy leaves you with an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

Mowing my lawn with a push mower by no means reverses any of the devastation to the Gulf. However, if this catastrophe motivates enough us to change our energy use and conservation habits, it will have an impact.

So rather than watching helplessly from your couch, get up, turn off your TV, and head next for the thermostat. Together, we can make a difference!

Please share your ideas for making a difference…

As my nose returns to the ‘blog stone’, I will be back to mixing things up a bit. Though I still love the iPad, it is time for me to revert to my eclectic roots. See you soon.

Exemplars of the ‘moxie’ principle are found in all ways and walks of life, but I can’t think of a more complete embodiment than Abraham Lincoln. Honest Abe’s successes and ‘failures’ are legendary. Before he became the 16th President of the United States, he had been defeated over 7 times in his political aspirations, failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown. As president he lead America through its most challenging chapter, the Civil War. The trials and tribulations President Lincoln endured gave him a unique perspective into the necessity of perseverance. Sharing that perspective, Mr. Lincoln taught, “The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.” He further taught “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

Rudyard Kipling (RK), author of the poem ‘If’, was born 8 months after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Though they could never have met, I can’t help but wonder if Kipling was indirectly influenced by the life of Lincoln. It’s as almost as if the next 4 lines RK’s masterpiece, were written with Mr. Lincoln’s character in mind:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

Certainly Lincoln exemplified the will to ‘Hold On.’ His commitment to persevere through his personal trials, laid the foundation of strength needed for keeping an estranged nation together. Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States describes such tenacity this way, “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”

Like Lincoln we can prepare for the challenge and reward of tomorrow by standing resolute today. Such constancy not only conditions, but as John Quincy Adams observed, clears our way, “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” I take my closing admonition from the words of English poet and politician, Joseph Addison, “If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother and hope your guardian genius.” ~Russ

Twenty-four lines down and eight to go.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

My distaste for the images these few words conjured up, often led to the temptation to go ‘wiki’ on RK’s literary jewel. I pictured something akin to a crazed husband and father, eyeing a roulette wheel, after succumbing to the temptation to literally ‘bet the farm.’ Upon deeper contemplation I have supplanted my gambler imagery and embryonic understanding. I now view his words as a wake-up call to let go of the things that matter least, so our arms are free to embrace what matters most.

As if such a charge wasn’t daunting enough, RK raises the bar to new heights of intimidation when he suggests we might do our letting go without flinching…

And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

However let’s not forget, Kipling’s lofty advice is more of a becoming than that of a being. He concludes the poem, “And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!,” as if to leave the gap between aspiration and destination fresh in our minds. For over 20 years I have kept a card given to me during a pivotal point in my life which reads, “Goals are stars to guide you by, not sticks to beat you with.” Like ancient mariners we need unwavering points in our night skies against which we can confidently chart our course. Nonetheless when we find ourselves astray, our efforts are best spent on speedy course correction rather than drifting further as we attend to flogging the crew.

Further insight into minding the gap between our personal goals and our current selves came from a cherished friend and mentor, Rusty Snow. He said something like, “Spend your time raising your reality up to your ideals, instead of tearing your ideals down to meet your reality.” So dear reader, I appeal to you and myself alike. Let us continually close the distance between where we are today and where we want to be tomorrow. And may we always find the fortitude and character to increase that gap as we discover new and loftier destinations. ~Russ

Twenty lines down and twelve to go.

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

Though I had heard the twin admonitions; believe in yourself and never quit, many many times before, RK’s poetic delivery left a deep and indelible impression.

History parades before us a variety of champions of the soul. Thomas Jefferson said, “The man who fears no truths has nothing to fear from lies,” and Winston Churchill exclaimed, “Never, never, never give up.” Even the tongue-tying Dr. of bedtimes stories, Suess, encourages us, “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

This past week, Fortune Magazine named Steve Jobs, CEO of the decade, in the article, A Decade of Steve. And rightly so… Steve Jobs (SJ) is truly the personification of the killer one-two punch; personal conviction and tenacity. So much so, I almost expected to see SJ’s picture in the dictionary when I looked up chutzpah. Fortune’s editor at large, Adam Lashinsky, opens his piece on Mr. Jobs with, “How’s this for a gripping corporate story line: Youthful founder gets booted from his company in the 1980s, returns in the 1990s, and in the following decade survives two brushes with death, one securities-law scandal, an also-ran product lineup, and his own often unpleasant demeanor to become the dominant personality in four distinct industries, a billionaire many times over, and CEO of the most valuable company in Silicon Valley.”

One could easily argue that being “booted from his company” compares well with hearing “the truth you’ve spoken twisted,” and rebuilding Apple into “the most valuable company in Silicon Valley,” epitomizes “build ‘em up with worn-out tools.” Jobs is quoted as saying, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Borrowing from Apple’s famous slogan, I propose we allow ourselves and others to “think different,” and may we all find the courage to get up each time we fall. ~Russ

Sixteen lines down and sixteen to go.

Steve Jobs Timeline

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;

We often fall victim to the very human phenomenon, I refer to as the forgotten objective. We get so caught up in the journey, that we lose sight of the original destination. Death bed confessions are replete with accounts of lost focus and painful regret. In the frenzy of work and the blur of checklists, it is all to easy for The Power of If, to be supplanted by the whimper, if only.

A complete recitation of Tony Robbins’ quote provides further insight, ”Goals are a means to an end, not the ultimate purpose of our lives. They are simply a tool to concentrate our focus and move us in a direction. The only reason we really pursue goals is to cause ourselves to expand and grow. Achieving goals by themselves will never make us happy in the long term; it’s who you become, as you overcome the obstacles necessary to achieve your goals, that can give you the deepest and most long-lasting sense of fulfillment.”

The subsequent lines to RK’s If …

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

… aptly illustrates that like Robbins, Kipling recognized that the competing apparitions, ”Triumph and Disaster,” are truly impostors. Such impersonators can never, “give you the deepest and most long-lasting sense of fulfillment.” The experiences that hold the greatest value, are discovered in deep waters, far from the shore of public opinion and beyond the light cast by our fifteen minutes of fame. ~Russ

Twelve lines down and twenty to go.

(Sources: Awaken the Giant Within-Anthony Robbins) -Available on Amazon