What Marketers Can Learn from What’s Your Dream? by Simon Squibb
By Ignacio Albornoz
Turning passion into purpose and purpose into impact
There are many books about success, but fewer that focus on what comes before it. What’s Your Dream? by Simon Squibb is not really about achievement. It is about something simpler and more difficult at the same time, figuring out what you actually want, and having the courage to go after it.
At its core, the book challenges a very common pattern. Most people follow a path that is already defined for them. Education, career and stability. And along the way, the question of personal desire tends to fade. Not because it disappears, but because it is rarely asked.
Squibb brings that question back to the surface. What is your dream? The way he approaches it is practical. He does not frame passion as a single moment of clarity or a sudden discovery. Instead, he presents it as something that is built over time. It comes from trying things, paying attention to what gives you energy, and noticing what you keep coming back to.
One of the strongest ideas in the book is that people do not need to have everything figured out before they start. In fact, waiting for clarity is often what keeps them stuck. Action comes first and understanding follows.
Throughout the book, Squibb shares real examples of people who were unsure, hesitant, or afraid to begin. In many cases the turning point is not dramatic. It is small. Someone takes a first step, someone tests an idea, or someone allows themselves to try without knowing the outcome. That simplicity is part of what makes the message land. There is no romantic version of success here. There is a focus on movement, on removing friction, and on making progress feel possible.
Another important theme is access. Squibb repeatedly highlights how many people are held back not by lack of ambition, but by lack of support. Sometimes all it takes is someone listening, encouraging, or opening a door that feels closed. This is where the book becomes less about individual mindset and more about environment. Dreams do not develop in isolation, they grow when people feel supported. When they are given space and when the first step feels within reach.
The idea of building a “richer life” runs through the entire book. It is not framed in financial terms, but in terms of alignment. Doing something that feels meaningful. Feeling ownership over your direction. Making choices that reflect who you are, not just what is expected.
What stands out is how grounded the tone is. The writing is direct and accessible. There is no sense of distance between the author and the reader. It feels like a conversation, not a lecture. And that may be one of the reasons the message resonates. It does not try to impress. It tries to be useful.
What this means for marketers
While the book is not about marketing, it naturally raises a relevant question. If people are trying to figure out what they want and take their first steps, where do brands fit into that process?
One clear application is lowering the barrier to action. Some brands are already doing this well. Nike, for example, moved beyond inspiration with platforms like Nike By You, where people can design their own products and engage creatively with the brand instead of just consuming it.
There is also a shift from inspiration to participation. Spotify’s Wrapped is a good example of this. It turns user data into a personal story and invites people to share it, making them part of the experience rather than just the audience.
The book also embraces uncertainty, and some brands have leaned into that by moving away from perfection. Dove did this with its Real Beauty campaign, focusing on real people and real stories instead of idealized images. That shift helped the brand build a deeper emotional connection.
Finally, there is a different way to think about value. Starbucks is often cited as a brand that goes beyond product and creates an experience around it, turning something simple like coffee into a space for connection and routine.
All of these examples point in the same direction. It is not just about visibility or storytelling. It is about showing up in a way that actually matters to people.