We just wrapped our 4th Connected Festival, and somehow, this is our 27th newsletter.

When I say that out loud - it blows my mind.

It feels like we only started yesterday. But also like we’ve been sprinting for years—thinking, building, connecting, reacting. Maybe too much reacting.

That was the throughline from this last event.  Not just from me. From you. Our community.

“Move fast and break things,” they said. But what if what’s breaking is you?

Your clarity. Your energy. Your leadership.

So this week, we’re flipping the tempo. Less chase. More choices.

Because the smartest move you might make this year… is slowing the hell down.

Turning off the noise. Getting back to what actually matters. And maybe—back to you.

“This work is about reacting to the moment. Everything was created on the fly, right in the heart of the South Florida Everglades, using scraps of paint left behind after Art Basel.”
- Dr. Dax

What others leave behind becomes the starting point. It’s what happens when you slow down just enough to look sideways.

Here’s What We’re Talking About Today:

Audience Insights & Future Trends:

“The average person makes 35,000 decisions a day.” - Andy Oates, via CNBC

That’s 35,000 micro-moments of friction. Context-switching. Energy drain. Emotional cost.

And it shows. In our teams. In our strategies. In our leadership.

Joanna Howes put it best:

“You can’t lead well if you’re running on autopilot.”

We’ve mistaken urgency for impact. Speed for clarity. Productivity for presence.

And the worst part? The audience knows. They can feel the chaos behind the curtain.

Vanessa Chin from System1 said it simply:

“The worst thing you can do in marketing? Make people feel nothing.”

So why do we keep shipping content no one cares about? Why are we measuring clicks and ignoring emotional resonance?

Because we’re still chasing volume over value. Reach over resonance.

🔍 The Shift We’re Seeing:

• Brands are waking up: deeper emotional impact drives higher ROI

• Leaders are learning to track trust and energy, not just efficiency

• And community-led growth? It’s winning—quietly, steadily, sustainably

💡The Takeaway:

Slowing down isn’t falling behind. It’s choosing what matters. And building it with intention.

Case Study: Elf Labs

Fifteen years. No hype. Just depth.

🪩 Why I chose this:

Elf Labs didn’t rush. They built slowly, deliberately, and on their own terms—proving that strategic patience isn’t passive. It’s powerful. That’s Connected Growth in action.

🔍 What They Do:

Elf Labs is a transmedia entertainment company that spent 15 years in stealth mode, quietly building one of the world’s most expansive libraries of reimagined fairytale IP.

From zombie princesses to AI-powered heroes, they’ve turned cultural icons into emotionally rich, tech-forward storytelling platforms - spanning books, games, digital worlds and soon, TV.

• 400+ copyrights

• 140+ trademarks

• Storyworlds powered by AI, distributed via blockchain and licensed globally

• Strategic partners include Cosmic Wire, DreamWorks alumni and brand licensing legends

While most startups chased funding and followers, Elf Labs crafted in the shadows - building IP that means something, moves people and monetizes without selling out.

❓Why This Matters for Our Audience:

Elf Labs is proof you can:

• Lead with story, not noise

• Prioritize legacy, not virality

• Play the long game—without burning out

They’ve already earned $15M+ in royalties. And they did it with a team of ten.

That’s not scale for scale’s sake. That’s scale with soul. That’s Connected Growth.

Behind the Scenes: The Art of Actually Slowing Down

Andy Oates nailed it at Connected:

“We’ve optimised everything for speed - except our wellbeing.”

And yeah, I’ve felt that too.

In the last 12 months, I made three major decisions:

1. Slowed Lively down
   Not because we were failing. But because we were going too fast to make anything meaningful. Now? We move with purpose. Less noise, more resonance.
   

2. Built MindSpace into our platform
   Because burnout isn't a badge of honour. It’s a red flag. Now, we create space for reflection, and the ROI is showing up everywhere.
   

3. Stopped reacting
   No more default replies. Every move is deliberate now. Strategic, not defensive.

And here’s what’s wild: I’m not alone. Dozens of you in our community said the same thing - The real flex for 2025 is choosing depth over pace.

Mood Board: What Our Community Is Sharing

🧭 Final Word

If this newsletter gave you room to breathe - pass it on.
To a colleague on the edge.
To a founder forcing momentum.
To yourself—because, damn, you needed it.

And when you’re ready to build with presence, not pressure:

→ [Join the Community]
→ [Work With Lively]
→ [Follow Mike on LinkedIn]

Because slowing down?
That’s the new acceleration.