The week between summer and fall

This week has felt like an outlier.

With back-to-school not officially until next week, this first week of September feels like a random in-between week between summer and fall. People are squeezing in one last trip, extending the long weekend or simply not fully back at their desks until after Labour Day.

We’ve actually delayed publishing quite a bit of content for me, our clients, the Summit promo and some of my other things. It felt odd to push everything out while so many people are still in summer mode.

August didn’t slow down

I ended up having a busy August with the Studio and the Summit, and I’m grateful.

Every year, I revisit Gary Vee’s video about August. His argument is that August can be the time to get ahead or the time to properly rest. Either way, the message is that you should be intentional about it.

This year didn’t feel like there was much of a choice. We just kept going, both in the businesses and event planning.

The rest of the world hasn’t exactly been chill either. There has been no shortage of drama in the news and across social media, particularly around Canadian and American politics and the many other issues unfolding around the world.

Even here in Toronto, the past few days brought major flooding, road closures and power outages, alongside more noise about the province moving ahead with the removal of Toronto bike lanes.

This has not felt like a particularly calm transition into fall.
(But I’m really looking forward to the slightly cooler days)!

CATCHUP | ROUNDUP

With so much happening, a lot gets missed. Here are just 2 of those stories at the intersection of my work:

When Canva gets work labelled as AI

Some creators have been sharing that graphics made in Canva are being labelled as AI-generated on Instagram, even when generative AI played a very small role in the final product. Something as simple as using an AI-assisted editing or background-removal feature can add information to the exported file that platforms detect. (I even saw posts like this one, “in loving memory of background remover”).

Meta has acknowledged that its labels do not always reflect the extent to which AI was actually used. It has already adjusted where some of those labels appear, particularly when AI was only used to edit rather than generate the content.

My view is… just chill. Adjust your workflow or bring the design through Photoshop. Otherwise, as long as you are not misleading people, an imperfect platform label doesn’t suddenly make your piece suck.

The more useful conversation is about what the technology actually contributed. There is a big difference between removing a background, generating an entire image and automating the idea, copy and design from beginning to end. Grouping all of that under one little “AI” label doesn’t help anyone understand how the work was made.

Apple’s new CEO has never posted on LinkedIn

Tim Cook officially moved into the role of executive chairman this week, with John Ternus becoming Apple’s new CEO.

One detail that caught my attention is that Ternus has zero LinkedIn posts after 25 years at Apple. His profile is almost entirely blank. Given how much I talk about founder-led and executive content, you might expect me to say this is a huge problem. I do think it’s silly, with so many resources at his disposal (or at least the company’s comms/PR department).

But it’s not that simple. Ternus has spent decades building credibility inside one of the most visible companies in the world. He helped lead the hardware behind products people already know and use. He is also inheriting an institutional brand with enormous reach, attention and trust.

Most business leaders are not inheriting Apple, though. (My honest advice is don’t think you’re Apple and can do what they do, for anything, basically. This is someone who loves the brand and has worked at Apple Stores).

For leaders whose expertise, reputation and relationships are key to what their company sells, being visible makes a meaningful difference. That does not mean every CEO needs to become a full-time creator or post a leadership lesson beside a suspiciously polished headshot every morning. It means people should be able to understand how you think, what you care about and why they should trust you. LinkedIn is one way to make that visible.

Teaching both business leaders and students

While preparing to teach Future Brand Strategy again to fourth-year students at the George Brown School of Design, I’ve also been facilitating in TMU’s Digital Growth Marketing Accelerator since the middle of the summer.

The program supports people who are actively working to scale their businesses, whether they are founders, CEOs, marketing leaders or sales leaders. It emphasizes practical, actionable marketing strategies tailored to each participant's industry and business model, with strong focus on LinkedIn for B2B companies, proper website optimization, and leveraging AI tools for efficiency while maintaining brand authenticity.

The approach I take as a facilitator, with a focus on brand and content of course, is:

1. Understanding current state - where businesses are now

2. Identifying gaps - what's missing or not working

3. Clarifying strategy - ensuring alignment on approach

4. Practical implementation - how to actually execute

5. Measuring progress - tracking what works

I also gave a talk on content marketing and social media for business in 2026.

My note from Muskoka

I also spent some time in Muskoka earlier this summer and wrote a reflection that never got published. As we wrap the summer, I’m sharing a condensed version!

A different kind of pause

There’s something about being so far from the city, by the water surrounded by trees, that changes how I feel almost instantly.

I think about how difficult it is to recreate that feeling in the city. Even when I visit a park or sit outside, I’m usually still on my way somewhere, thinking about what came before or what I need to do next. Even our pauses can feel scheduled.

I appreciated the time and space differently this year. We had my grandfather’s funeral shortly before the trip, which brought us more perspective to the ordinary moments (sounds cliché, but it’s real).

I was also conscious of the wildfires affecting communities across Canada, including First Nations communities that have been evacuated or experienced devastating losses. Being surrounded by nature, breathing clean air and having access to a place like this is a privilege. Access to nature may seem universal, but access to the time, space and resources required to truly enjoy it is not equally shared.

I’m grateful that I had this space to slow down before another busy season. It gave me a chance to think about what I’m working on, what deserves my energy and how I want to spend my time.

Where did you experience a real sense of calm this summer?
And how might you create a little more of that space in your regular life?

What’s coming this fall

I’m looking forward to sharing what’s coming next through both the Clarity Content newsletter The Signal and The Good Growth Company newsletter, which we’re sending out next week!

It’s refreshing to have momentum and to be having some great conversations about partnerships, collaborations and new projects, particularly during a time that has traditionally been quieter.

At the same time, I’m not trying to rush past this transition week without reflecting on what the summer held. This newsletter helped with that.

Before fall gets fully underway, here are a few questions to think about:

• What are you carrying into fall that you expected to finish this summer?

• Where could greater visibility help people understand or trust your work?

• What part of your work needs renewed momentum, and what part genuinely needs rest?

• Which story or experience from this summer changed how you are thinking about your business, community or next season?

What has this week felt like for you?

Today, I’m in the studio, excited to create with Daniel Lewis and Javon!