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A climber and visual storyteller, Cory Richards was named National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2012. Cory’s camera has taken him from the controlled and complex studio to the wild and remote corners of the world, from the unclimbed peaks of Antarctica to the Himalayas of Nepal and Pakistan – all in the attempt to capture not only the soul of adventure and exploration, but also the beauty inherent in our modern society.

Cory dropped out of high school and was practically homeless by the time he was just 14 years old. His education came from observing what was happening around him and discovering the richness that comes from struggle. His video “A Tribute to Discomfort” takes you through his journey from recounting the avalanche that almost took his life and led to the moving self-portrait that appeared on the cover of National Geographic, to describing what drives him to tell stories of people and places.

“My job is communicate a real raw visceral experience. Despite the fact that we are experiencing massive problems as a human family we are still experiencing each other, loving and having a ton of fun. I mean life is fun.” – Cory Richards

A Tribute to Discomfort: Cory Richards from Blue Chalk on Vimeo.

Your company’s brand is one of its most valuable assets. It represents the core of who you are and why you do what you do. It’s about the promise you make to your customers to provide a product or service, to do so with consistency and quality, and to do it better than your competitors.

To build a successful creative business it takes more than artistic vision and talent. The reality is that you are a small business owner and as such you need to understand business. For many of us that’s not the fun part – but it can be! More »

Each of us defines a moment in a different way. For food photographer Penny De Los Santos a moment is where people, culture and food come together.

“I am inspired by and in love with that space where a scene vibrates with an energy. And when it’s combined with light, composition and color – that’s when I make a picture of a moment.” – Penny De Los Santos

In her TEDx Talk she takes us from a candlelit dinner table in war torn Lebanon to the grave of a loved one, asking us to stop, connect and take the time strengthen and honor the bonds between us.

Brand Advocates can create some of the best value for any small business or emerging brand. Advocacy for your brand has a vital impact in driving awareness, creating conversation and generating more business. Cultivating brand advocates who are excited to share their experiences with others can be a low-cost, high-return marketing strategy.

Essentially a Brand Advocate is someone who enjoys your product or service so much they are eager to tell others about it. Brand advocates can be online influencers with a large social media audience, people who are active or well-respected in their industry or your customers. Here are some ways to turn a customer or industry influencer into an active, engaged advocate for your brand: More »