The Stickman Manifesto
By
Chris Eastvedt
You may have wondered what the deal is with all the stick figures on this site, so I’d like to formally introduce my alter ego in business, Stickman (pronounced like Bat-man, not Mort Stick-mun). Stickman isn’t hung up on pronouns; s/he can identify with David Bowie and Annie Lennox just as easily as with Clint Eastwood or Halle Berry. He lives in Stickworld with his faithful companion, Stickdog, and spends each day creating the dream. On paper, nothing about Stickman is extraordinary. What causes Stickman to stand out is her drive to be relevant: she’s always trying to deliver the wow. Doing what everyone else does, catering to the LCD, saying yes to the ordinary- this is no way to inspire a following. Stickman seeks to bring out the fun and creativity in every experience and share it with like-minded individuals: fellow Stickpeople.
The Stickman movement is a gathering of content creators (authors, musicians, game designers) who challenge themselves and each other to deliver experiences worth talking about. The focus isn’t just on offering great products, but also marketing and delivering them in a way that makes people say WOW. I’m trying to raise the bar on the creator-to-consumer experience by delivering more than is expected. The goal is to gain fans, not customers. I want to bring fun back into shopping and help other creators do the same.
Here’s a taste of what you can expect from Stickman:
Stickman lives in the fringes and thinks independently: he will never, truly, be part of the mainstream, but he can interact with the natives when necessary.
Stickman is playful: she is not above messing with those who take themselves too seriously, but she does have standards. Mooning old ladies, kidnapping a blind guy’s dog or giving a Snickers bar to a kid with peanut allergies isn’t funny; it’s sad. Stickman gravitates towards the clever and witty hijinks in the movie Real Genius.
Stickman believes in freedom of speech and expression, no matter how questionable the message may be. If Stickpeople don’t like something, we will come up with a stylish resolution that doesn’t require lawyers. Humor brings people together; threats tear them apart. Lawyers are always a last resort.
Stickman doesn’t believe the lie that any job that pays is worth keeping. This is the fear talking. Fear has no place in Stickworld. This is a place to experiment, and get used to failing in public. Underachievers need not apply.
Stickpeople like money as much as everyone else, but we won’t sacrifice our standards to get it. The goal is to always give a compelling reason to buy our creations, not churn out the same old, same old for the masses. Whatever we offer must be worthy, not of our customers, but of our fans.
Stickman knows that she doesn’t know everything, and doesn’t pretend otherwise. She listens to people who have knowledge she doesn’t, but also gets that experience isn’t everything. A good idea is a good idea, regardless of origin, but it’s the execution of that idea that leads to greatness.
I am a small business owner and I am Stickman. I intend to be relevant in what I create, in my business model and in leading Stickpeople. It is my job to entertain; keeping us all engaged in a meaningful way is my bottom line. My fans will keep me grounded. I may come up with ideas for what I believe are cool experiences, but ultimately Stickpeople will decide if they want to play along and if I get the chance to try again.
Complacency, on the other hand, will not be tolerated in Stickworld. There is too much vanilla out there, too much “good enough”. It’s time to raise the bar. Attentive customer service, convenience and quality merchandise are Stickworld staples, as is delivering more than expected. Stickpeople pay attention to the competition and adapt to maintain their edge. Stickpeople seek out and act upon insightful feedback. Stickpeople engage their niche and play to it with great effect.
Stickworld is a bit like Wonderland: it can be as inspiring or scary as you choose to make it. There are no victims in Stickworld; if you need to, wear a cup.
Authors, musicians, video game designers, content creators of any kind: you’re welcome to join me in this movement to champion relevance and runt-punt complacency… but it’s not for everyone.
- Stickpeople are do-it-yourselfers; no one is going to hold your hand here. If you’re looking for a community that will help guide you through your personal issues, this is not your venue.
- This community exists as an opportunity to have fun while spreading the movement’s message. If what you’re looking for is a way to spread chaos or spam, this is not your venue.
- Stickpeople are compelled to make improvements and innovate. “No” is not the go-to response in Stickman’s vocabulary. If you find yourself saying things like, “We’ve always done it this way”, you will be unhappy here. This is probably not your venue.
Working with Stickpeople is something to be coveted, and this is what we will show the world.