Brian Hertzog

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Out Of Love

When a company makes a product, we as the consumer instantly know if it was made to make a profit, or if it was made out of love.  Ultimately all products are sold to make profit, but not all products are created with profit as their motif.  For example, compare Dove brand soap to the local artisan soap you find at the farmers market.  Dove soap costs less than half of what fancy art soap costs, yet people still like to buy soap made with love.

Not all products are commodities, not even soap.  Every product can be made with love, purpose, and meaning.  There's nothing wrong with making emotionless products, just don't expect to fool your customers with marketing.  We know.  We know when a smile is fake.  We know when an apology is hollow.  We certainly know when big brands pretend to be something they're not.

I guess the point is, if I had a choice between making commodities or making products out of love, I'd choose love.  Because we don't remember things without emotion.  Our feelings are at the core of our interaction with the world, and shutting them off to make an extra buck seems like a crime.  No one will remember how much money you make, people will remember you for what you do.  Focus on making products out of love and your legacy will remain.

Love is unique.  It's one of a kind.  It's why we're here.  And it's what we're here to do--make things out of love.  Write with passion, sing with sadness, design with inspiration, whatever it is, do it with purpose and meaning.  It might take longer, may be harder, but one things for sure, it will certainly be worth the effort.  Not only will the customer know, you will know.  Make things out of love and that's all anyone can ever ask.