Unlabel: Selling You Without Selling Out

Half way through the Kindle edition and I am already deeply grateful for the insights I've gleaned so far from Mr. Ecko's Unlabel.What I've been able to see through Marc's eyes is invaluable. There is a real sense of history at play here that fortifies the designers focus on authenticity.From drawing up 'Vote for Me' flyers to become the student body president in high school to the advanced maneuvers of 'velvet roping' an empty trade show booth with his brand placed elegantly atop a pedestal; there is a constant affirmation in nearly every page of the sheer value of doubling down on originality.More than a rags to riches story, Ecko's tale is loaded with self effacing admissions of the dangerous side effects of success and lessons on how to counteract them with actual stress tested wisdom.I've been aware of Ecko only intermittently through the mind stamping Rhino brand and I seem to recall when Getting Up, his foray into video game design came out but I'm someone who has always been suspicious of Graffiti as an art form.Miraculously early on in the book I was educated by Marc, that what one mostly sees on the street in the form of 'graffiti' are called 'toys' - a moniker for nascent writers whose pens are cans. This seemingly minor insight clarified a confusion I have held for quite some time, namely, 'why does 98% of graffiti just look like practice?' now I know it's just a bunch of 'toys' and that graffiti, like any art, blossoms only after hours, days and potentially years of perfecting a style before you should manage Getting Up your first time. Wasn't it Voltaire who said 'one must write volumes before signing ones own name'? That idea wasn't lost on the ethos of Ecko.Marc possesses that rare quality of a talent who knows he's got it but takes the time to get it right it in seemingly every aspect of his creative and professional life. I've read it non-stop until I decided to write this review. It reminds me of the 'innocence' of the 80's and 90's. An innocence that is, perhaps against our better judgement, present with us now. And without fail we'll look back on this time, today, in twenty years with the same reverence and nostalgia.I mean I can hear the Beastie Boys saying "Ali Baba and the 40 thieves" in unison inside this guys garage where everything is possible as he bangs out another custom airbrush design or perfects the 100th palm frond.I have enjoyed the read and as someone starting a new company his insights are a shot in the arm of perfect timing. I would not have found out about this book if it wasn't for his upcoming Skillshare class that I fully intend on taking. Can't wait to read the rest of where the journey takes him and what he has to say about it. Well done.post-thought: There is some talk in the book referencing a change in the brand name from echo to ecko which I distinctly remember doing second takes on when it happened. I bring it up because there is something beautiful about the fact that Ecko (with the K) is so much more powerful and true and right for the brand than the 'original'. The philosophical underpinning of this realization in their company and also in the reader is a profound example of the power of being okay with moving forward even though you are not and cannot be sure of how the creative evolution of your business will refine itself. I found this passage and several others extremely encouraging. Just trust it.scottthrift

Unlabel is a brutally honest manual to how Marc Ecko made his creative business happen. For creatives, unlike almost every other business, there's a pressing need for authenticity and voice while not sacrificing the business side of things. That is what this book is about--creating a business that expresses your creativity while still being able to put food on the table. I'd recommend this book as a counterpoint to Naomi Klein's equally important  No Logo: 10th Anniversary Edition with a New Introduction by the Author , which was a book sorely needed in its time but now feels a little naive in its idealism.This book is also a lot of fun, filled with funny and sometimes touching asides and tons of colorful graphics. Ecko really put his money where his mouth was on this, very much expressing his aesthetic through the design of the book itself. I'm only taking off a star because there's a few too many pointless asides and because Ecko is competent but not fantastic writer. That's really no reason not to give this a chance however, and I really feel this should be in the library of anyone considering a creative business.

This book couldn't have come at a better time in my life.On October 3, 2013, I was laid off from my dream job. I had created a magazine like no other in my chosen industry and it was beginning to show the signs of being successful. But a dysfunctional office culture created a situation where an insecure boss stole my brainchild as his own.I felt exploited, as if I was used only for my innovative and creative brain. Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am. At 50 years old, I felt my career was over, and there was no way for me to achieve my life-long dreams. But Marc's book has helped me realize that is not the case, and that there is more to ME and my life than just one creation.I'm still a "creator" and by using Marc's Authenticity Formula, I've shed the labels that were weighing me down and have discovered my brand, my authentic self.Thanks, Marc! I just wish this book had been around when I was 20. I've already bought a copy for a friend in her own startup and I'm buying the book for each of my four 20-something children as their holiday gifts this year.

Love the very real and unsterilized perspective that Mark describes. Few wish to be this transparent with the failures and flaws that make us really grow and instead provide the prettier more plastic version of their story, making even their lessons appear "clean". Mark shares some of the traps he fell into in his own head (whether fueled by ego, naïveté or just plain stubbornness ) as he approached each challenge and I think that many will relate to whether your a clerk, manager or business owner. In some ways this approach can be more valuable than all the biz school knowledge as our ability to execute and achieve is ultimately a product of how we manage ego, naïveté and stubbornness.Road meets the pavement here.

This is Marc Ecko's personal story of how he learned about business by doing. It's a good read that flows well. Ecko is insightful and brutally honest in a way that rings true. It's rare that an artist who has grown into a sizable financial entity would share so much. This also makes him a good teacher. That the reader is able to glean knowledge that will help him or her makes this book a worthwhile contribution. It is more about the less technical side of doing business and how that affects success. Plus it is a fun read. There are some hilarious stories and some uh-oh moments.As an artist, this book has energized me and helped me to focus my efforts. Thanks, Marc!P.S. I enjoyed the Skillshare class as well. I feel more aligned with my intentions now.

Having grown up wearing Ecko and seeing it everywhere, this book immediately interested me. Marc Ecko weaves the story of how he developed his passion for art and developed it into a billion dollar message while revealing all that he has learnt about building a personal brand. The lessons and the formula that he shares is really powerful and the book not only gives amazing advice throughout, it is also a really funny and interesting read.As well as that, it is an amazing work of art and design. The pictures and artwork throughout the book illustrate the messsages and Marc's journey.This book is the best I've read this year and I urge anyone - whether creative or business - to read this, take in the lessons and Unlabel and Unleash yourself onto the world!

Marc lays it out, pimples and all. Wins & losses, victories & defeats. Piece by piece he explains how he discovered to be authentic in how he makes money from his creativity.A step by step how to book this is not, there is no A+B=$This is more for those who want to see that there is more than one way to slice a lemon.

It makes a change to hear someone actually giving a warts and all blow by blow account. But then reflecting on it to pull out a so called formula...which is more of a compass than empirical measuring device. Good wisdom in here.

This is a great book, where not only do you get Mark Ecko's story of setting up his business (including the bad times with the good), but also his great advice for personal branding. This was really easy to read and I flew through it feeling motivated about my own personal endeavours at the end.

Marc Ecko has been an inspiration of mine for a number of years and this book only confirms his legendary status. If you have any thoughts of starting your own brand then you need this.