The bizblogsphere is full of talk about brands and the relationships they build with their customers. I think there are few brands that achieve the level of truly influencing your life. For me, Fast Company magazine was one of those brands.
When I started reading FC in 1998, it was a breath of fresh air in the corporate life I was living. They were talking about innovative ideas and the interesting people putting them into practice. I could not wait for the next issue to come in the mail. When it arrived, it stopped everything and read it from cover to cover. Reading the magazine planted the seeds for what I has happened since in my work life.
To celebrate their 10 year anniversary, the magazine is looking back at the big issues of the past. This month, they examine the Tom Peters’ “The Brand Called You” cover. The piece is titled “Me Inc.: The Rethink” (you can imagine where this is going). Writer David Lidsky and FC says Brand You was a great idea that never happened and it was a questionable idea to start with. In the list of greatest hits for Fast Company, I would put this article at #2 behind Free Agent Nation.
I feel Fast Company doesn’t stand for what they use to. They even seem to be distancing themselves from some of the things in their past. I think John Byrne and G+J wants Fast Company to be a business magazine reporting about interesting companies and telling stories others won’t. That is great, but that not what made me fall in love with the magazine.
I want the Agenda.
I want the Passion.
I want Fast Company when it was out to change Your Life.
I think we have both changed and it is time for us to go our separate ways.
Thanks for everything.