Jul 28, 2020How Good Emails Invite Others into Your StoryWritten by: Madison Gies| Digital Designer In January, I went to a coffee shop with an idea for a personal project. I ordered a medium roast bottomless cup, and opened an email draft. A word document saved on my desktop just wouldn’t do. …Email3 min readEmail3 min read
Jul 14, 2020The Power of Big Ideas: Navigating Uncertainty with Purpose and CreativityWritten by: Anna Rice | Writer + Communications Specialist At Open Book, we help our clients give voice to a “big idea” at the heart of who they are and what they are building in the world. We look for something that resonates deeply with who they are today—but also…Creativity3 min readCreativity3 min read
Jul 7, 2020What Does a Win Look Like?Written by: Jeremy Emmerich | Creative Director Last evening, I was playing chess with my six-year-old son Maxwell. As we played our second game and he contemplated his next move, he looked at me with delight and said: “My mind is working really hard right now!” His little brain was…Challenge2 min readChallenge2 min read
Jun 26, 2020Nurturing Growth: Reflections From a First-time GardenerWritten by: Allison Flores Goebel | Design Director This year I planted my first garden. I have found myself surprisingly invested in the success of this new horticultural endeavor — which means checking on the humble plot an unnecessary number of times each day. …Gardening3 min readGardening3 min read
Jun 23, 2020Why Celebrations Matter—at Work and in LifeWritten by: Lauren Puchtel | Executive Assistant At Open Book, we celebrate something called an “Openversary.” Openversaries are celebrated each year on the day a team member began working at Open Book. There is usually a prank involved — just a little surprise to keep the lucky team member on their toes! Then the rest of the team circles…Celebration3 min readCelebration3 min read
May 21, 2020How a Professional Development Goal Became Part of my Wedding VowsWritten by: Josh Sipma | Designer + Creative Content Developer The last several Junes, we at Team Open Book have gone on a weekend retreat “up north.” It’s always early summer, when it’s just warm enough to be able to swim and spend time outside. We are from Minnesota after…Professional Development3 min readProfessional Development3 min read
May 14, 2020It’s Not Useless; It’s a Ladder RungAt Open Book, we test— a lot. In our work of solving problems and creating things, we test ideas, words, and design all the time. We test an idea when we walk up to a teammate’s desk and tell them how we’re thinking. We test words when we ask a…Creative Process2 min readCreative Process2 min read
May 7, 2020Reflecting on the Small ThingsIn this time of major global events, our team has been thinking lately about small things. In our work as a small creative team, we daily take iterative, strategic steps toward big goals. …Design2 min readDesign2 min read
Apr 30, 2020Keep moving.As a small creative agency, we are daily entering into the unknown. Maybe that’s due to our size, but it’s definitely due to our mentality. We serve leaders working to build a better tomorrow—which is full of unknowns by definition. We have a strategic vision for where we’re headed; we…Creative Process2 min readCreative Process2 min read
Apr 24, 2020Invite People Into Your StoryAt Open Book, “invite people into your story” is our mission—but it’s also a mindset that applies beyond how an organization brands itself. And in this time of quarantine and social separation it’s a mindset that feels all the more important. “Invite people into your story” is an opportunity every…Creativity3 min readCreativity3 min read
