Protect the flame.

Every company begins with a flame. A spark that caught and grew.

Not a polished vision.

A gut hit.

A moment that told you this was worth building. That flame burned clean before pressure, pace, and expectations started pushing against it.

Over time, the flame gets tested. Investors pull one way, the team pulls another, the market shifts, and new tools promise speed you feel pressured to chase. The temptation to keep up grows fast. Each choice pulls a little warmth out of the room.

Fender is a good reminder of what staying grounded looks like. Their entire company still revolves around one feeling: instruments that spark emotion the moment a player picks them up, even as they expand into digital tools and new tech.

Protecting the flame keeps the company honest. It guides what you build, what you ignore, and what you defend. It is the part of the company that still feels true.

Sit with:

What pressure has pulled me furthest from the flame?

Which decisions left the company feeling colder?

What would I do differently if the flame led the way?

— Ian Adams, Founder the little red sofa

Before founding the little red sofa, I led strategy and creative for brands like Jeep, HSBC, and Unilever at top global agencies and in-house teams across 8 countries. Now I partner with brands to do the uncomfortable work that builds resilience. That’s how they become unshakable. Impossible to ignore.