Start of a Journey

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A year and a half ago, a longtime client and friend approached us about helping him develop an idea he had for a lending-based product for the credit union industry. In discussing the concept and why a credit union might need it, he wrote a particularly intriguing phrase:

"Be a hero to your borrowers."

For those who aren't familiar with the credit union industry, the success of a credit union (or any financial institution, really) rests largely on their ability to make loans. But most financial institutions are focused on the internal battle of balancing risk versus rates. To have someone actually discuss the process in terms of being heroic was like a beacon in a storm.

As we continued to discuss the idea of heroes, he talked about the work of Joseph Campbell, a noted authority on mythology. Campbell studied the mythologies of the world and uncovered an archetype which spoke to the similar pattern of challenges and stages found in mythology. He discovered, in his own words, "the commonality of themes in world myths, pointing to a constant requirement in the human psyche for a centering in terms of deep principles." (The Power of Myth, with Bill Moyers. 1987). Campbell called this archetype The Hero's Journey (find out more here).

A light went on and the discussion livened. Could this concept apply to business? Could it be that businesses can become heroic? And if so, can this be the key to creating the undying loyalty we had been trying to help our clients build?

In our work developing brand strategies for clients, we had been frustrated by how often brand is seen as just a marketing issue or a new logo. Our approach had been to present brand as a fundamental strategy, but getting that across using the term "brand" was not a simple task.

Once people understood what our definition of brand entailed, "Aha" moments ensued, which indicated people "got it." But getting to that point took valuable time and energy.

What if there was a way to get there sooner, so we could go about the work of building the brand. The more my friend and I talked, the more the idea of looking at business strategy in terms of "being a hero" seemed to be a natural metaphor. Hence a concept and a strategic business process was born—The Hero's Quest(SM). You can find out more about The Hero's Quest at heros-quest.com,

I believe that businesses can be heroic. I believe that trying to be the hero to your customer (or "member" if you're a credit union) is what will build long-term loyalty. I believe businesses can choose to "do right," rather than pursuing corporate greed and simple self-interest.

The goal of Hero's Voice is to provide a forum instead for all things heroic—for stories that inspire us to do better. Not only our successes, but our failures as well. A hero's journey always involves both struggle and triumph, and the past 12 years of business have proved no different for Creative Abandon's journey.

But I've come to understand that being heroic is not just about "leaping tall buildings in a single bound." It's about continuing on in the face of doubt. It's about commitment, and doing the right thing over and over again. It's about persistence and sometimes patience. It's about putting short-term needs aside for long-term goals...and often about putting individual desires behind the needs of the organization. It's not always easy, but it's always rewarding.

I encourage you to share your stories—to help us give voice to all things heroic. Regardless of your particular job, company or industry, I believe we all can benefit from being inspired.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Lisa Gambee and the Creative Abandon team