The death of former Washington Bullets (now Wizards) player Manute Bol on June 19th has generated a lot of media attention. He is remembered not so much for his on-court accomplishments as for his commitment to fund the construction of hospitals in his homeland of Sudan. The depth of his generosity is enhanced by the fact that he delayed treatment of a serious kidney ailment in order to oversee the construction of one of those facilities. It has also been reported that he died virtually penniless.

To my knowledge, Bol did little to publicize his good works. But now through the power of the media, his accomplishments are known around the world. His dedication and activism inspired others to spread the good word. In a world of jazzed-up messages and outrageous claims, the life of Manute Bol speaks to us in a different voice—one of authenticity and humility.

I recently read about the latest crop of NBA players chosen to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. They were big stars of course, whose names I should remember. I'm embarrassed to say that I've forgotten them. I won't forget Manute Bol.

I was late for work today but that's okay. I stood in line in blistering heat for 3.5 hours today but that's okay, too. I now have in my possession a shiny new black iPhone 4^®. I ordered it on June 15, the first day Apple^® started accepting pre-orders. This morning, I proudly joined about 120 members of my tribe's subgroup—the pre-order folks—that stood alongside the other 400 or so general tribe members outside the Apple store in Bethesda, Maryland. I patiently waited to add to my collection of Apple products which includes an iPad^™ and MacBook^® Pro. Am I crazy? No. I am just a passionate believer in a company that consistently turns out innovative technology that makes my life easier and more enjoyable. Apple is not perfect and I don't expect it to be. But, I have faith that they will fix whatever glitches come up. Seth Godin, you'd be proud of me. I'm actively recruiting tribal members. Just ask my co-workers. If I have my way, we'll all be communicating via iPhone 4 soon.

As I stood in the 100-degree heat, I couldn't help marveling over how Apple has the ability to create this amazing buzz over a phone—and lead people to camp out to get to one!

From time to time, business owners are asked to throw their proverbial hat into the ring for various graphic design awards, Best Places to Work lists, Smart CEO honors and the like. So, it was no big deal when earlier this year we received a Top Agency nomination from BtoB, the magazine for marketing strategists, and were asked to complete a survey. All in a day’s work; answer their questions and move on.

Imagine our surprise a few weeks ago when we learned that Fixation had been named to BtoB’s (www.btobonline.com) 150 Leading Agencies list in their March 2010 issue. This particular honor stands out because a) it’s a national recognition that finds us listed among some of the nation’s biggest and best “name brand” agencies; and b) the questions took into consideration not just our personality or number of employees, but some deeper questions about year-over-year growth and how we were helping our clients deal with a fragile economy.

Look, we know this business is not all about awards. But as a small agency, we rarely get consideration in the rarefied company of the “big boys” like BBDO and Ogilvy & Mather North America. Let’s hear it for the little guy! And let me take this opportunity to first thank a great small-and-smart staff here at Fixation who work hard and produce terrific stuff that is sometimes unheralded. Second, let me honor our clients—many of them long-standing—who hire us to provide creative strategy, design and interactive marketing solutions that help keep them successful and help keep us on top of our game.

Congratulations to all. I’m so proud of this company.

Let’s talk about the success story of my friend and fashionista extraordinaire, Kimberly Wilson, who has employed some excellent social and viral marketing tactics over the years to build her businesses. Kimberly is a self-described teacher, writer, do-gooder, entrepreneur and eco-fashion designer who founded Tranquil Space Yoga in Washington, DC in 1999. Today, Kimberly is also the author of two books, Tranquilista and Hip Tranquil Chick, a fashion designer with her own clothing line, TranquiliT, and runs the Tranquil Space Foundation which provides opportunities for women and girls to develop leadership skills through creativity.

I met Kimberly Wilson eight years ago when she was teaching my yoga class at Joy of Motion studio in Washington, DC. It didn’t take long for me and many other Joy of Motion students to become devotees of her classes. She taught a select number of classes there, but lucky for us, we quickly learned that she was teaching additional classes at her own studio called Tranquil Space Yoga.

10 years ago, when Tranquil Space was just getting off the ground, Kimberly’s strategy for attracting students was organic and authentic. She created buzz about Tranquil Space by wearing "Tranquil Space Yoga" t-shirts to the classes she taught around town. She patiently built her business, step by step, by relying on her students to spread the word. She posted flyers on community boards in coffee shops. She had a website that clearly outlined her philosophy, class schedule and "brand". And, ultimately, she put her money where her mouth was by providing an excellent service and product that filled the need of many DC urbanites that were looking for a creative, challenging and vibrant yoga practice to balance their busy city lives.

All of these tactics helped the studio to grow from a few classes with a few students a week in her living room to what it is today multiple studio locations in the Washington metropolitan area with more than 75 weekly classes and recognition as one of the 25 best yoga studios in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine. The studio has also been the springboard for Kimberly’s other business ventures.

Back then, Kimberly hit the ground running to spread the word about Tranquil Space Yoga. Today, she’s still doing that with help from a full-time staff and viral communication tools like Twitter, Facebook, a blog, and podcasts. Kimberly understands that when these tools are used authentically - to engage, to start a discussion, to provoke thoughtful awareness, to spark an inspiration, to share a success story – they can be effective for growing a community.

As marketing professionals, we sometimes get so excited by the functionality of new interactive tools that we forget to ask the crucial questions: why and how do we use these tools to engage our communities and get them excited about our products, services and events? We could all take a page from Kimberly’s strategy book in understanding how the universal rules of authenticity, engagement and delivering on your brand promise can equal success and growth regardless of whether you’re in the business of yoga or tradeshows.

It can’t be all work and no play. Learning experiences come from both. Following is a noteworthy vacation experience…

Last week, I was vacationing off the coast of Long Island, NY, near Ocean Beach. One morning while running on the boardwalk along the sand dunes, I nearly crashed into an elderly man. As I approached him at a running speed, I halted in reaction to what seemed to be some sort of SOS signal from him—both arms above his head, waving up and down. He was pushing a wheel barrel filled with grocery bags. I removed my headphones and said, "Hi, are you ok?" He put his arms down, smiled weakly and replied, "Yes, but I need you to lift my cart and help me home." I picked up the handle to his wheel barrel and began on an hour-long detour from the run I had planned. Along the way, he told me his name (Winthrop), age (82) and that his partner of 62 years had just died this past December.

We stopped at his friend Jack's place to borrow his electric scooter. He scooted the rest of the way home and I trailed behind him pushing the wheel barrel, concerned he might run off the boardwalk. Finally, we arrived at Winthrop's house in one piece. He removed the house key from around his neck and I helped him open the door and unload his groceries.

The end of the hallway opened to a large TV room with kitchen off to one side. Winthrop pointed to a gold-leafed box on a table, and said, "That's Peter, my partner. Those are his ashes in there." Feeling a sudden, heavy wave of responsibility and concern, I asked, "Winthrop, do you have folks around here that check in on you regularly?" He said, "Oh sure, there's Lorraine next door. She's a pediatrician." I then noticed the dishes in his sink, a bag of overflowing trash and a plate of half-eaten food on a TV tray. He continued to assure me that he has a variety of neighbors with whom he interacts daily—neighbors who supposedly check in on him from time to time.

I felt compelled to offer him some immediate support—washed his dishes, took out his trash and tidied up a bit. I repeatedly asked him if he would be okay. He laughed it off and told me to get going. I scribbled down my number on a pad affixed to the refrigerator, but knowing my few days here would hardly be the solution to getting this man the sustained support he clearly needs. I momentarily shook off the guilt I felt by leaving him, said goodbye and continued my run. But his face and his words wouldn't leave me. I kept hearing him say, "Oh yes, I have people who check in on me all the time." His SOS signal on the boardwalk and the state of his house told a different story.

Here I am back in DC tending to my "real" life while working to find a reliable line of support for my new friend. This experience has reminded me that everyone deserves support in whatever capacity they need it, but sometimes we wait until things are dire before asking for help. And sometimes, we can’t bring ourselves to ask at all. For those who have the power to help, we sometimes get so caught up in our own lives—acquiring, competing, advancing—we may not recognize when someone else is throwing out the distress signals. I was feeling guilty taking a vacation when things were crazy at work. But if I had cancelled my trip and not taken the time to stop and smell some roses, I would have missed the opportunity to meet Winthrop and help someone in need.

In these long, hot days of mid-summer, holiday gifts for clients may be the last thing on your mind. At Fixation, we think it’s an ideal time to be thinking about the holidays. Why? Because in July, time is on our side. By November, the rush will be on and the time for creative thinking is past. (And if you’re like us, schedules can really heat up in the fourth quarter.)

In July, we have the leisure to think about our criteria for a year-end gift: something that says “thanks” for your business; something that stays out of the circular file and sticks around past New Year’s Day; something that is useful, helpful, appreciated, showcases our creativity and reflects our brand. Last year’s seasonal notecards were a big hit internally among the staff and with recipients. It’s currently our mid-summer’s resolution to come up with a worthy follow up gift to close out 2009.

So while it may feel a tad early to be thinking about holly, handmade ornaments or Hanukkah…summer is the perfect time to bag an idea for a holiday thank you gift that shows your clients how much you appreciate them all year ‘round.