I left Carlisle in my early twenties because talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t.

That belief has taken me across six continents, leading teams through crisis and transformation at some of the world’s largest organisations. From Switzerland to Korea, one lesson kept repeating: whether in global firms or small towns, people often miss the talent and opportunities right in front of them.

It’s why I founded the Purpose Made Podcast.

A podcast and platform exploring how challenge, change, and growth shape who we are. I sit down with athletes, entrepreneurs, creatives, and leaders to uncover stories that inspire resilience and offer lessons worth sharing.

Because people don’t follow strategies, they follow stories.

Stories that connect, challenge, and create purpose.

Beyond the podcast, I work with governments, charities, Fortune 500s and entertainment bodies to help leaders navigate change via my consultancy Purpose Made. My roots in gaming and transmedia storytelling (from my EA days) continue to fuel this belief: narrative drives behaviour as much as strategy does.

Outside of work, three brilliant kids keep me honest about what really matters and why we do the things we do. 

Kids have a way of doing that, right?

Connect to explore more, I’d love to hear your story too.

#Leadership #Storytelling #Innovation #PurposeMade #Podcast

Peter George Bell

Marko Djurdjevic made 82 Marvel covers in a single year, held a seven-year exclusivity deal with Riot, and survived two heart surgeries mid-production. Now he's betting everything on the one story he's been carrying since he was 22.

#Before5onFriday ﻿#IndependentIP #Transmedia #GameDev #Orken

Purpose Made Founder & Think Tank Co-Founder Leadership & Crisis Management Expert | Gaming & Transmedia

After 30 years making billion-dollar franchises for other companies, Marko Djurdjevic is risking everything on one story of his own. Marko Djurdjevic 

Open article: You Make Them Billions….And You Get A Wet T-Shirt. by Peter George Bell • 6 min read

You Make Them Billions….And You Get A Wet T-Shirt.

At 47, after three decades servicing the biggest franchises on the planet, Marko Djurdjevic decided to finally build the one that was his.

82 Marvel covers in a single year. A seven-year exclusivity deal with Riot on
League of Legends. Concept art feeding the early MCU. His studio Sixmorevodka is one of the most respected in the industry.

But he's been carrying a story since he was 22. Tried to build it four times and
talked himself out of it every time. It sat in his desk for years until Russell Binder
saw it and told him it was the best thing he'd ever made.

Even then he hesitated.

Then one thought landed: "My time is running out."

1,400 pages written. 350+ original illustrations. A video game prototype by Demagog Studio. Six books going to print. 75 major pitches behind him. Two heart surgeries in the middle of production.

The Orken Kickstarter launches today with a free demo on Steam.

We discuss how he went from a kid with no books to one of Marvel's most prolific artists. Working with Marvel and Riot on some of the world's most established franchises. What he learned from giving away his previous IP for free. How his wife thinks he's lost his mind and his son suddenly became his biggest fan. And why at 47 he decided the window doesn't stay open forever.

Clients only ever get "one out of you," he said. "And never the full
package. The full package can only exist if you're doing it yourself."

So, he's doing it himself.

Listen or watch on the Purpose Made Podcast. Comment MARKO and I’ll DM you the links.

﻿#IndependentIP #Transmedia #GameDev #Orken

I wanted to share a bit more of the behind the scenes of the writing journey.

At the end of the day, the objective stays the same:

Create stories that truly resonate & stories that feel relevant to real people.

That’s exactly why the podcast exists.
To spark conversations.
To explore what makes IP truly relevant.
And to understand how the best minds in the industry approach that creative process.

If you’re curious about storytelling, relevance, and building ideas that last; check out the channel via the link in the comments.

Drawing for the World's Biggest Franchises | The Full Story.

Marko Djurdjevic is one of the most respected illustrators in the industry.

But where did it all start?

From drawing with just paper and pencil as a kid… to producing 10 covers a month for Marvel Comics.

What looks like an “overnight” viral moment was actually years of obsessive

In this episode, we go deep into: 

• The years before the viral breakthrough
• The reality of drawing covers for Marvel
• Working on the world’s biggest franchises
• Why he never stops reinventing himself
• And the launch of his latest project, Orken on Kickstarter

The full episode is now live on my YouTube channel. 

Comment "MARKO" and I'll send you the direct link.

23 years in the making.

The best projects aren’t rushed.
They grow through doubt, experience, and time.

And sometimes… all it takes is one conversation to reignite the flame that started it all.

I love discovering the behind-the-scenes stories in this podcast.

Comment MARKO and I’ll send you the full conversation.

After 8 years of being out of the hospitality industry, I walked into a travel agency to the exclamation, "Hey! You're the Bingo Guy!" An email marketing campaign to drive sales from 8 years prior confirmed three things: 

•	The Power of Storytelling
•	The Power of Personal Branding
•	I Needed a Cooler Nickname

If you're looking to:

•	Develop creative paths to success
•	Find opportunities hiding in plain sight
•	Communicate strategic alternatives

Then let's chat!

In a world spinning with possibilities, I believe it's the genuine relationships we forge that make it go round.  And when you apply a bespoke touch to business – tailoring your sales, marketing, and personal brand to resonate with each individual – that's where the magic happens. 

Things I love talking shop about:

•	Customer service that's relationship-focused
•	Critical thinking & problem solving that gets to the root of the problem
•	Storytelling - Ask me about that bingo contest
•	Digital marketing & social media - CHDM certified!
•	Creative ideas & content development

Away from work I love spending time with my family, creating art, playing golf, and rooting for the Cubs and Bears. Additionally, I support the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Muscular Dystrophy Association. Please message me if you’d like to share your story or need help in reaching your goals.

Don Barnett

Every hotel Salesperson when a potential group can't shift their dates 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺.

Creative Solutions for Hospitality Success | Director of Sales & Marketing at LondonHouse Chicago | Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer

Some people seem to have all the luck.

They're offered dream jobs. 
They meet the right people. 
They find a $20 bill in an old coat pocket.

Meanwhile, you find an old cough drop and a CVS receipt from 2022.

But here’s the secret, luck isn’t always random. In fact, I believe there are four types of luck. And one of them is wildly underrated.

☘ Dumb Luck - The “oops, I just won the lottery” luck. Completely random. No skill involved. Like finding a parking spot right in front of the store when it’s raining.

☘ Diligent Luck - The kind you hustle for. You put in the work, take the swings, and eventually get a hit. 

☘ Observant Luck - The ability to see things others miss. Like spotting an investment opportunity before it explodes. Or realizing before anyone else that cargo shorts were a terrible idea.

But the best kind of luck?

☘ Signature Luck - The luck you create by building a brand (corporate or personal). 

The reputation that makes people think of you first when opportunity knocks. 

It's putting in the work.
Staying visible.
Building trust.

Over time, this stops feeling like "luck" and starts feeling like momentum.

Director of Sales & Marketing at LondonHouse Chicago | Founder, Aesop Creative - Social Media Strategy for Hospitality Vendors | Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer

Ever had a meeting planner check your availability 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 blasting the RFP out to everyone else?

That’s not a sick fantasy.
That’s 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Somewhere along the way you became known as the team that:
• responds quickly • sends clear proposals • 
• actually follows up • doesn’t vanish after the site •

And once that reputation kicks in, something heavenly happens:
𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺.

Instead of fighting through the RFP Hunger Games, you see more:
• direct leads • referrals • first dibs •

Be responsive. Be easy to work with. Follow up.

Do that long enough and your reputation starts doing some of the selling for you.

The vast majority of people in hospitality aren't sharing they're valuable knowledge or personality on LinkedIn. 
And I know why...
 
It's because of the "Eyeroll Threshold". 
 
It's these circles of hell one must traverse, fraught with judgement and eyerolls. 
 
⭕ The 1st Circle is usually your Inner Circle; family. And kids are the worst. No one rolls their eyes harder at you than a daughter, believe me, I have two. 
⭕ The 2nd Circle are Friends and Co-Workers. They'll mostly roll their eyes behind your back or make a snide comment. 
⭕ But the 3rd Circle, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙. This circle is filled with people that know you but don't see you often. They might find some joy in hearing what you have to say or what you're up to these days. 
⭕ The 4th Circle are people you've never met, but you've said something that resonates with them. Maybe even helped or inspired them in some way. 
 
I heard something great the other day: Hate doesn't come from people ahead of you. It comes from people jealous or threatened by you. 

It's the price you pay for going against the status quo. 
▶️ But to the bold go the spoils.

Is your hotel's social media like that gym membership you technically have?
Going twice a week, effort varies.

Technically active.
Visibly present.
Emotionally... buffering.

Next time you look at your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., ask yourself:

🤔 Does your content show your hotel's personality?
🤔 Does it speak to your ideal audience?
🤔 Does it have a pulse?

If your feed feels like a treadmill set to 1 mph, don't be surprised when no one's breaking a sweat over your brand.

Have your LinkedIn posts been put in witness protection?
Seen by no one? 
Don Hoteleone has 2 pieces of advice...

1. Stop Reposting 

Reposting? Congrats, you just became LinkedIn’s version of a chain email.

Original content is king. Reposts get buried in the desert.

If you’re going to repost something, add your own thoughts and commentary to it. Otherwise, fuhgeddaboudit...

2. Stop putting a link in your post. 

LinkedIn doesn't condone you going against the family. In other words, they don't want you following another link off of their site.

However, to get around this algorithmic nightmare, post a link in the comments.

The algorithm isn’t out to get you. But it 𝘪𝘴 out to ignore you if you keep doing these two things.

Have you had the "𝙉𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙤𝙣 𝘿𝙮𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙄𝙣 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝"? It goes like this (queue music)...

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, you finally say **** it and post something thoughtful and genuine on LinkedIn.

𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱, most of your inner circle of immediate colleagues, friends and/or family roll their eyes at you.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱, you discover that those outside of that circle in the LinkedIn community support and applaud your efforts. 

Maybe even hear your message loud and clear. In the movie (spoiler alert), he gets his buddy elected as Class President.

In real life, you gain new friends, allies, referrals, bookings, job offers, speaking engagements, and on and on...

Am I saying your wildest dreams will come true? 
You'll never know if you don't try.
Be willing to stand out in a sea of sameness my friends.

You've heard of goat yoga,
but have you tried Yorkie meditation?

It's where you meditate for 5 seconds before the most impatient dog on Earth jumps on your face.

1 star, do not recommend.

Speed wins. 
In sales. In sports.
When kicking a muffin into the air before it hits the floor...

If you're in group sales, let’s talk about response time.

According to Cvent, the 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 to respond to RFPs.

Eight hours.

Are we submitting RFPs... or walking to Mordor?

Amadeus’ MeetingBroker data shows that 72% of first responders win the business.

That's not a small edge.
That's structural advantage.

But here's the part people miss:

Speed gets you noticed.
Follow-up get you awarded.

Winning teams don't just respond fast.
They:

• Prioritize RFP responses
• Set clear next steps
• Follow a structured cadence
• Stay persistent (without being annoying)
 
Speed gets you in the game.  Follow-up closes it.

What’s your average response time?

And more importantly, what happens after you hit send?

Booked an influencer at your hotel?
Asking yourself, "Now what?"

Here are 5 things to do next:

✨ Give them a great room. If they’re staying overnight, make sure it’s one of your best rooms (per your agreement). They’re capturing your hotel for the world to see, so skip the “partial view of the dumpster” suite.

✨ Flag the reservation. Add any key details. Favorite drink? Allergies? Put it in the notes.

✨ Prep your team. Send a staff-wide email 24 to 48 hours before arrival. Include: 
• Influencer name + headshot
• Dates staying and arrival time if you have it
• What’s comped
• Special requests

✨ Send a welcome note & amenity. Even better? Research what they actually like. Did they cry over matcha in a recent Reel? That’s your cue. Custom touches = memorable content.

✨ Follow them on social media! It shows support 𝘢𝘯𝘥 lets you check out what they're posting in real time.

Hosting an influencer is your shot at showcasing your hotel in a way that’s real, relatable, and ready to go viral.

Did you know there's a formula to monetizing your personal brand?

And none of it involves going viral.
(the germaphobe in me just said, "Thank God")

The people seeing opportunities are running this playbook:

✅ Specific Knowledge
→ Be dangerously good at something people actually care about. Generic advice doesn’t pay.

✅ Value First, Always
→ Give before you ask. Do you like ads in your feed? Me neither. Provide something people can use.

✅ Networking (Like It’s Your F***** Job)
→ Build relationships, not just a following. Opportunities come from people, not likes.

✅ Leverage
→ Utilize platforms, systems, and connections that amplify your reach. Smarter, not harder.

✅ Personality and Storytelling
→ Show up as YOU and tell stories. Facts tell, but stories sell.

✅ Consistency and Patience
→ This platform provides you the opportunity to stay top of mind with your network as often as you choose to show up.

✅ Thick Skin
→ First they'll roll their eyes and ask why you're doing it. Then they'll ask how you did it.

If you run this formula long enough, you won’t have to chase opportunities.

They’ll be chasing you.

What’s one part of this formula you’re focusing on right now?

If you could travel 20 years into the past to impart some wisdom to yourself, what would you say? 
 
For me: 
 
🔹 Worrying is wasted energy and won't change any outcome whether good or bad. 
🔹 Nothing is more valuable than time. Invest it in quality people, places and things. 
🔹 Tremendous freedom is gained when you stop caring what people think. 
🔹 Create small daily goals that are impossible not to complete. 
🔹 Embrace the concept of leverage. 
🔹 Stop talking and start doing.  

⚠️ Don't shave your entire head to the lowest clipper setting, you will regret it.
 
What would you say to your younger self?

Did the person you just gave your name to say, "Who?"
Unless that person was an owl, your personal brand has some serious red flags.

In sales (hospitality or otherwise), 𝘺𝘰𝘶 are the brand long before anyone sees your property. If people can’t place your name or the reason they 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 remember you, then your follow-up is already playing from behind.

✅ Your brand is why planners reply to 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 email first. 
✅ It’s why they tag you when someone posts “I need a hotel in Chicago!” 
✅ It’s why your name doesn’t just show up, it 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴.

You don't have to be loud or as hilarious as I think I am. 
But you do need to 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 yourself. 

Who you are.
How you help.
Why you resonate.

So if the last five people you introduced yourself to said “Who?”, it’s time to give your brand a little boost. 

Or stop hanging out with owls.
Even if their meetings are a hoot. #𝗱𝗮𝗱𝗷𝗼𝗸𝗲𝘀

A big influencer can get you seen.
But a micro-influencer can get you booked.

If you've ever worked in Sales at a hotel with only one ballroom, you've likely told a client, "You'll be a big fish in a small pond."

Working with a micro-influencer is like that!

A creator with a massive following can put your hotel, restaurant, or experience in front of a ton of people. But that ocean is diluted.

A strategically aligned micro-influencer puts you in front of the 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 people and makes it feel like an actual recommendation.

Here are some key differences:

Big following influencer:

• big reach
• broad awareness
• polished content
• everyone sees it

Micro-influencer:

• stronger trust
• better engagement
• more niche audience
• content that feels believable
 
When trust and attention are at a premium, that matters. 
That’s where micro-influencers win.
 
Less “paid partnership energy.”  More “I went, I loved it, and you will too."

DM me if you want to talk shop!

taplio

The Battle

Peter George Bell

Don Barnett

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Performance ScorePeter George Bell's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Peter George Bell

Don Barnett

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Peter George Bell's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScorePeter George Bell's LinkedIn Performance