The Pennock Knockdown EP 29 | Why Should I Choose You? Finding Your 7-Word Purpose in a Noisy World with Ian Chamandy

Watch or Listen to Episode 28 of The Pennock Knockdown.

Unpacking Purpose: How 7 Words Can Transform Your Digital Marketing Strategy

Welcome to another edition of The Pennock Knockdown, where we dive into strategies and tactics for digital marketing leaders. In a world saturated with fleeting trends and constant pivots, understanding your core identity is more crucial than ever. That's why in a recent episode, we sat down with Ian Chamandy, a seasoned expert with over 20 years of experience helping more than 400 organizations—and individuals—define their purpose and become consistently, uniquely remarkable.

Ian's core philosophy revolves around his proprietary "Blueprint" process, which distills an organization's purpose into seven words or less. His own purpose? "Transforming confusion into clarity." This isn't just a catchy phrase; it's a guiding principle that informs every decision and communication strategy.

You got it. Here's a blog post for Pennock.co, based on the transcript with Ian Chamandy.

Unpacking Purpose: How 7 Words Can Transform Your Digital Marketing Strategy

The Genesis of "Is This True?"

Ian's journey to this "Blueprint" began unexpectedly. As a young copywriter, he wrestled with words that felt inauthentic. His solution? A sign taped to his typewriter asking, "Is this true?" This simple question became an obsession, propelling him through various careers—from advertising to television—before he finally co-founded his business Blueprint 20 years ago.

What started as strategic planning morphed into a deceptively simple, three-step process rooted in identifying what makes a company uniquely remarkable.

The Three Steps to Uniquely Remarkable

According to Ian, the single most important strategic asset any company has is knowing what makes it uniquely remarkable. Once you articulate this essence, ideally in seven words or less, you can do two powerful things:

Design how you will operate.
Design how you will communicate.

This singular purpose becomes the north star for everything your organization does and says, ensuring consistency and authenticity. Think about IBM: for 80 years, despite changing management, their unspoken purpose of "selling the most sophisticated business technology to the biggest companies in the world" has kept them on track.

Why Most Brands Miss the Mark

If it sounds so straightforward, why do so many brands struggle to define their unique purpose? Ian points to a fundamental gap: business schools and the broader business community simply don't teach or recognize this concept.

Traditionally, when faced with options, businesses ask, "What is the best option?" But with a defined purpose, the question transforms to, "What option best aligns with what makes us uniquely remarkable (our purpose)?" This makes decision-making dramatically easier and more effective.

As Ian beautifully put it, quoting Pablo Picasso, "The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to share it with the world." Ian adapted this: "Your purpose is to discover that one thing that makes you uniquely remarkable, your gift, and then share it with the world." This blankets his strategic planning in a deeper, more resonant meaning.

Every Brand Has a Unique Remarkability (Even if it's Hidden)

When discussing early-stage brands, Nikki often observes that some feel they lack a truly unique differentiator. Ian, however, respectfully disagrees. He believes every company starts because someone thought, "I know how to do this better." The challenge isn't the absence of unique remarkability, but the difficulty in articulating that fuzzy notion and distilling it into those seven guiding words.

Who Benefits Most from Blueprinting?

Ian described the ideal client for his Blueprint process with three key qualities: they are aggressive, progressive, and well-capitalized.

Aggressive: They always want more, no matter their current stage of growth.
Progressive: They're open to a non-traditional process and prepared for non-traditional business outcomes, seeing opportunities beyond narrow definitions.
Well-Capitalized: They have the resources to invest in this foundational work.

He shared a fascinating case study of an actuarial firm whose original specialty was disappearing. Through the Blueprint process, their purpose was defined as "creating a greater degree of certainty." This shift broadened their perspective, revealing new business opportunities they never saw when their definition was narrow. They even formed a new company around this purpose, which quickly gained paying clients who understood the value.

Purpose vs. Trends: The Enduring Power

Nikki asked how macro shifts and cultural norms impact the Blueprint process, especially with the pressure for brands to constantly adapt on social media. Ian's answer was firm: they don't.

"A purpose statement doesn't change," Ian explained, unlike a value proposition which must evolve with changing times and consumers. He cited Nike's "Just Do It" as a prime example. Launched in 1986, it was Nike's purpose for nearly three decades. Even when briefly abandoned, it proved so powerful that it fought its way back. "Just Do It" resonates universally, allowing anyone to identify with it, making it timeless and incredibly effective.

From Copywriter to Purpose-Driven Leader

As a final question, Nikki asked Ian what advice he'd give his younger self, sitting at that typewriter. His unexpected, yet poignant, answer: "Quit and go into music." While Ian may have a regret about not pursuing his musical passion, his chosen path has undeniably brought clarity and purpose to hundreds of organizations.

Ready to uncover your brand's unique purpose?

Learn more about Ian Chamandy's work and the Blueprint process at his website: sevenwords.biz

The Pennock KnockdownNikki LindgrenJuly 9, 2025