You won't like this post. And that's okay.

I'm going to say something you don't like. It doesn't matter what it is. But it might change your opinion of me. It might make you question whether we share the same values. It might make you decide you never want to associate with me.

And that's okay. At least you know where I stand.

Which is more than you can say for the vast majority of brands out there. Out of the millions of brands in the world, a precious few have been bold enough to own their story with such conviction that it actually polarizes people.

Those few have taken a courageous leap. It's a leap into brand authenticity, and not every brand has the stomach for it. But those that do -- those that embrace their creation story, that are passionate about their mission and consistent in their fervor for it -- often find that they develop extremely devoted followers. And it doesn't take a marketing genius to understand that if you know who your most devoted followers are, you can make more informed decisions. You may decide to invest heavily in profiling and capturing more believers. You may decide to invest in converting non-believers. Either path can work. But only if you understand and embrace what you stand for.

Now, the contrary perspective might hold that if we just hedge our bets a bit, ratchet down our passion just a smidge, make ourselves a little more palatable to a broader group of people, we can sell more.

This is the "all things to all people" approach. And it's bullshit.

That may not be what you want to hear. But I'm okay with that.