Invent by listening.

It's easy to let things pass unnoticed. One of my favorite pastimes is tuning in to the language around me—especially the quirky, regional words and phrases people have coined.

Take, for example, the term "Pizza Bones." This one has stuck with me. It was not coined by some professional marketer or branding expert but by a little kid at a restaurant. We were sitting with our dog, Graham, when this child approached us, clutching the crust of his pizza slice. He asked, "Can I give my pizza bones to your dog?" Instantly, "Pizza Bones" became the new name for pizza crusts. "Pizza Bones" has personality, and it's one of those inventions born purely out of an innocent observation.

Another favorite comes from a recent trip to Sweden. We talked with a local about the country's sauna culture—a big part of life there, especially with saunas sprinkling the docks along the water. The ritual involves jumping from a steamy sauna into ice-cold water, back and forth, in a practice known as contrast therapy. It's catching on in Los Angeles.

Feeling proud, we mentioned that we have a sauna at home—an infrared sauna, to be exact. Our Swedish friend shook his head with a smile and said, "That's an electric grill."

Innovation often comes from paying attention to the world around you, from listening to what others say and how they say it. You never know what new ideas are hiding in plain sight.

Steve Berry
Principal, Thought Merchants