It started years ago as a case of “Doctor, take your own medicine.”
For over a decade we were heads down, building and launching nearly a hundred brands into the world. But what we hadn’t done was thoughtfully and truthfully articulated our own brand.
What does West stand for? What were the values that we held ourselves to?
Working with founders, CEOs, boards, and in-house marketing teams to help them reach their creative and business potential, the first West brand value was an easy one: “Truth-Telling.”
Truth in today’s world can sometimes feel subjective. In business, it is something pursued cautiously and selectively at best. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story—even if the core of the problem remains long after the work is done.
That way of doing things just wasn’t us.
Dealing, as we do, almost exclusively with early-stage-growth businesses, getting to the core of an issue is not just a moral prerogative but paramount for the survival of any company. We have to go there, even if there feels uncomfortable or we end up talking ourselves out of a job.
But in a world of spin and alternative facts, having a truth-telling mindset can actually be exhilarating and refreshing. Truth, after all, can be the strongest argument.
So we decided to dedicate the first issue of West of Everything to the notion of truth. Our goal was to compile a series of op-eds, interviews, and art that would explore the ways truth—and being a truth-teller—can make us pause, adjust, and, hopefully, do better.
In the pages ahead (written, designed, and compiled by the team at West), you’ll hear from thinkers, creators, and leaders who are at the forefront of technology and culture as they reflect on what it means to find, challenge, and explore the truth.
Our goal is less to weigh in on the conversations that the internet is already having, and more to share a little of what we’ve learned and, like all good brands, make you think and feel something.
Let us know what you think. And thanks for being a friend of West.
West
