[Photo by Patrick Federi on Unsplash]
The Odysseus Files, Issue 21
Build a Castle, Not a Village, Part 13
Wrapping Up
[Note: this is Part 13 of a miniseries within the broader Odysseus Files called “Build a Castle, Not a Village.” These miniseries will group broad topics thematically, helping you connect the dots between them more easily.]
This is it! The final part of our “Build a Castle, Not a Village” miniseries. (And the last stage in our Acropolis model.)
If you’ve stuck with it this long, congratulations! If any of the ideas in this framework have inspired anything within your business, please do hit reply and let me know. I’d love to hear about it (and see if there’s any way I can help you implement them, of course!).
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you’ve got some catching up to do (but I promise it will be worth it). Hit up the archives here: you’re looking for issues 12-16 and 18-20, specifically, although issues 4-7 will provide some context as to WHY this model is so needed.
For today, we’re diving into the acropolis’ broader role in creating impact as the heart of an emerging city.
The Foundation of Influence
In the world of Greek colonies springing up all across the Mediterranean and Black Seas, some thrived, bringing wealth to the mother city and prosperity to the founders. Others survived, just making ends meet. Some failed, drifting into obscurity.
Those that thrived grew into vibrant cities. These cities were hubs of commerce, food production, artistry, cultural exchange, and ideas. They attracted merchants, tourists, and delegations.
Architecture and art became a means of transference and interaction, as Greek and local cultures blended together.
These cities had an impact all across the Greek world - from spreading Greek influence to creating wealth.
And, ultimately, that’s why you’re building the brand that you are: because you want to make an impact. You want to create leverage to help more people beyond what you can do on your own. You want to do meaningful, creative work. You want to create a legacy - one that you can be proud to pass on to your children.
That’s the power of a truly sustainable brand.
As your brand’s reputation grows, so will the number of people wanting to come and settle down around your acropolis. Eventually, your walls will expand. You’ll become self-sustaining. People will start building their own “things” in the shadow of your acropolis - like the agoras, stadiums, theaters, and monuments that thrilled the residents of ancient cities.
You’ll build a community of people, all positively impacted by your brand.
Beyond your own customers, partners, and co-creators, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your impact by donating to charitable work. (Think of this like investing in other colonies and settlers, with the hopes of one day building cities of their own.)
The opportunities are endless. Take your pick.
It Begins With Vision
We said last week (Issue 20) that true innovators don’t create based on polls and focus groups; they build based on vision.
If you’ve made it this far in this miniseries, you should have a better sense for the impact that creating a vision filled with courage, conviction, and creativity can have.
It goes so far beyond figuring out what content to post, products to sell, or tactics to follow.
It’s about crafting a living organism - one that is soul-led, that inspires, that leaves a legacy.
It’s about thinking in terms of decades instead of quarters or years.
Building a sustainable brand that has the potential to help you craft a resilient lifestyle for your family and a legacy for future generations starts with architecting your vision.
Need help putting that vision together in a coherent way, then turning it into a roadmap to guide everything you do in the next year? Reach out. I’d love to talk.
Excellent series, Josh. Lots to consider.