What a cause program without direction taught me about getting it right — and what MusiCares, Surfrider, Waves for Water, and Super Skate Posse all have in common.

Early in my marketing career I inherited a cause program at a well-known consumer brand. It was well intentioned but never really found its footing. No clear focus. No consistent community ownership. And if I am being honest, it was funded with whatever was left after the real budget decisions had already been made. Which in some ways made sense. The brand had bigger issues that needed attention first.

My kids say they hate social media. But they'll spend hours watching a stranger sell vintage Levi's and used guitars live on TikTok.

That contradiction tells you everything about where commerce is heading. When it comes to the hunt — the thrill of real product, real scarcity, a real person vouching for what they're selling — they have no problem with social media. It's the same psychology that drives them into record stores, baseball card shops, and vintage apparel spots on weekends. Tactile. Authentic. Earned.