An overused title, perhaps, but one that is apropos for my perspective on Twitter.
Having gone from barely noticing it to casual user to "Twooshing!" all over the place these last 5 months, I think I'm hooked.
And - I'm eager to explore new ways to leverage the platform - look for more updates in future columns. In the meantime, enjoy this one...
Showing posts with label Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business. Show all posts
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
"...it came out freaking sweet!"
I think most of what is done in the automotive industry is boring & tired. Sure, I like gawking at the new body styles from certain manufacturers each year, but honestly most of what is coming out of that industry seems pretty staid to me.
Except for Scion and what they're doing with Scion Speak.
I like what they did when they introduced the car. I like how they have marketed the car. I like how they sell the car (using separate areas in Toyota show rooms). And I like how they are building customer loyalty around the car. I think they've done a good job of knowing what market they are going after and they hit it.
(TANGENT: this is available here through the NY Times, which should have a free sign up form if you can't already view the article; otherwise it's $1,000 USD to republish on the internet for 1 Year (maximum) - that's nuts! I feel another blog coming on...)
I think this is a great example of leveraging the Voice of their brand, and strengthening (and building more of?) their raving fan customers. This car is all-about self expression. It's a mass produced, customized ride.
But don't confusing "Marketing" (which is what we're talking about here) with "Sales" (which is a different part of the company and frankly, not doing all that well).
Scion has carved out a niche for itself that it should focus on. I see Scion Speak as one step on that path, and would like to see what they do with it next.
Would I buy one? Probably not. Would I try to emulate their marketing & sales techniques. I think you would be "Scichotic" not to...
Except for Scion and what they're doing with Scion Speak.
I like what they did when they introduced the car. I like how they have marketed the car. I like how they sell the car (using separate areas in Toyota show rooms). And I like how they are building customer loyalty around the car. I think they've done a good job of knowing what market they are going after and they hit it.
(TANGENT: this is available here through the NY Times, which should have a free sign up form if you can't already view the article; otherwise it's $1,000 USD to republish on the internet for 1 Year (maximum) - that's nuts! I feel another blog coming on...)
I think this is a great example of leveraging the Voice of their brand, and strengthening (and building more of?) their raving fan customers. This car is all-about self expression. It's a mass produced, customized ride.
But don't confusing "Marketing" (which is what we're talking about here) with "Sales" (which is a different part of the company and frankly, not doing all that well).
Scion has carved out a niche for itself that it should focus on. I see Scion Speak as one step on that path, and would like to see what they do with it next.
Would I buy one? Probably not. Would I try to emulate their marketing & sales techniques. I think you would be "Scichotic" not to...
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Quick GDC Review Published in "The National Networker"
I had my first article published this week for The National Networker, giving a brief review the Game Developer's Conference (GDC), and the networking aspects to the event. I'll be posting a more detailed series of blogs over the next few days, but thought you might enjoy this high-level recap in the mean time.
The National Networker is a Monthly Publication that focuses on many different aspects of networking (geographic, profession, general interest, etc.) . It pretty much has something for everyone. The magazine tries to convey networking strategies beyond the usual tactics. I'm the Technology Editor for this magazine, and it gives me a chance to talk about Technology with a different crowd than my usual Geeks and Tech Heads!
(and yes, it's a little shameless self-promotion, but if you don't toot your own horn every now-and-then, others will use it as a spitoon! :) )
Let me know what you think, and what you might like to see in the column. Over the next few months I will be profiling certain technologies and uses for technology in the networking and online / Social Media / Social Computing space. Stay tuned...
The National Networker is a Monthly Publication that focuses on many different aspects of networking (geographic, profession, general interest, etc.) . It pretty much has something for everyone. The magazine tries to convey networking strategies beyond the usual tactics. I'm the Technology Editor for this magazine, and it gives me a chance to talk about Technology with a different crowd than my usual Geeks and Tech Heads!
(and yes, it's a little shameless self-promotion, but if you don't toot your own horn every now-and-then, others will use it as a spitoon! :) )
Let me know what you think, and what you might like to see in the column. Over the next few months I will be profiling certain technologies and uses for technology in the networking and online / Social Media / Social Computing space. Stay tuned...
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Good Folks Over At Common Craft
I really like what these guys do - very quick, easy & simple.
This is something my Grandmother would be able to understand!
PS - GDC review coming soon...!
Friday, March 07, 2008
This Is A Great Book – Read It!
I bought The Elephant and The Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What It Means for All of Us watching Author Robyn Meredith on a Charlie Rose interview last summer. It was a great interview and the next day I went to the bookstore 2 days later to buy it – and all the copies in the local surrounding bookstore were literally sold out (I asked the store manager check around for me).
Well researched, organized and written, Ms. Meredith has taken a complex topic and added just a little-more-than-sufficient detail into the historical context, that provides a great foundation for understanding contemporary realities. Her review of China strongly correlated with what I knew, and her review of India was enlightening.
I think it's a great introductory / intermediate text on the subject of outsourcing in general, and with respect to these two nations in particular. For more on Outsourcing and the role that India has created for itself in this industry, I still strongly recommend Bangalore Tiger by Steve Hamm. These are good companion texts - enjoy!
Good Inspiration With Just Enough To Get You To MOVE!
At just under 300 pages, The Four-Hour Workweek is a surprisingly easy and engaging read. Tim quickly covers a number of topics. And yes, while there does seem to be some slight proselytizing to get people to take action, he makes it seem rather easy. That, coupled with him listing high-level action plans in the book & on his website, can get you motivated to take action today on architecting a different life for yourself – if that's what you want.
People will rationalize whatever behavior they want or need to. And while this book won't bring the death of any multi-national companies any time soon, it does provide structure for a lifestyle that many, many people (quite literally) day-dream about.
It's time to stop dreaming & get moving, if you're not already – get the book and apply it!
Found This Book Helpful To Create Functional System To Keep My Life Organized
First off, what I didn't like about Getting Things Done by David Allen:
too long; I felt he had about 30% too much content in there. Chapters 4 – 10 are “the meat”, with Chapters 11 -1 3 providing the next level of useful detail.
the first 3 chapters could either be significantly trimmed or eliminated
the margin quotes interspersed throughout the book were interesting to read, but I found them distracting and not really adding a lot to comprehension of the content (I like reading quotes from people, and gather that Robert Allen does as well...)
That said...
I strongly recommend this book for people who really want to get “their lives” under control. I've implemented his recommendations and have benefited from DRASTIC productivity increases – and less stress and more relaxed time with my family.
While reading it I found myself taking issue with some of his suggestions, and dropped my objection when I implemented his recommendations (my justification was that what I had been doing so far wasn't getting me the intended results, so...try something different).
I'm glad I did. My wife has noticed a difference and I feel a lot less stress (and this review is starting to sound like a fabulous new diet pill commercial! :P )
Anyway, I strongly recommend this and if you are trying to have a process or system to more effectively what you want to have in your life. It's cheap to implement and the benefits are immediate.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Shameless Self Promotion - GDC08 - Check It Out!!!
If you have ANYTHING to do w/the gaming industry, you've got to check out and attend GDC! it is THE place to be (E3 and it's ilk are SOOO over-rated).
Plus, as an added bonus...I've finally succumbed to all of the requests & peer pressure - I'll be speaking this year on Outsourcing in the gaming industry, with several of my colleagues. It'll be awesome and great fun, to be sure.
(I think this is the first time I've given a presentation that was BEFORE lunch, and not after...my, the natives will be restless. At least I'm not the last presentation before the bar opens...)
Come learn what to avoid in your next outsourcing situation. Trust me - these lessons can be learned and applied REGARDLESS of what industry in which you happen to find yourself.
Plus, there's lots of weird people here and they're a BLAST to hang out with!
CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!!
Plus, as an added bonus...I've finally succumbed to all of the requests & peer pressure - I'll be speaking this year on Outsourcing in the gaming industry, with several of my colleagues. It'll be awesome and great fun, to be sure.
(I think this is the first time I've given a presentation that was BEFORE lunch, and not after...my, the natives will be restless. At least I'm not the last presentation before the bar opens...)
Come learn what to avoid in your next outsourcing situation. Trust me - these lessons can be learned and applied REGARDLESS of what industry in which you happen to find yourself.
Plus, there's lots of weird people here and they're a BLAST to hang out with!
CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
"I think that whole 'Internet-thing' is going to be big..."
Etta James.
She is timeless. Every time I hear her sing, I'm there in a jazz club in San Francisco, (1950-ish) and I can see the piano behind her a little bit, off to the right...the bassist on a small riser behind her on the right, low lights with cigarette smoke slowly wafting through the room...
That's Web 2.0, for you. One of my friends on Facebook (someone I literally haven't spoken to in 8 months, and at least a year before then) put together a song list that loaded up when I added Pandora to my Facebook page. Pandora's a music-suggestion generator from the Music Genome Project, where it will suggest music based on a variety of inputs (i.e. - tunes my friends suggest, tunes I've previously played, etc.). The bad news for me is that I already have over 98GB of music that I have purchased over the years (mostly CDs that I've converted to .MP3s) - not including all of my vinyl that I'm starting to convert. I can see that I'll be discovering and buying more music, in the coming months...
What does this mean (other than an increase in spending for me?!?! :P )?
Organization - the usual organizing principles we've used will increasingly matter less, and instead how we think about our organizing principles will matter more. "Technology" is an enabling catalyst. It's not just something with an On/Off switch and lots of blinking lights. The how we think of things...the organizing principles...the constructs and frameworks...the models - many of the current ones will become irrelevant with each new version of software, hardware, refined service offering, or social network. I think these will increasingly based on a combination of individual and group tastes...
Process - what won't become obsolete so easily is the process one uses to create these frameworks and constructs. I only see these becoming more refined with each new interaction. This iterative refinement will eventually yield entirely new processes to create new organizing principles. Due to human Nature, Behavior and Comprehension of these changes, assimilating new process(es) will take longer than assimilating technological advances and new organization structures. An effective juxtaposition of Creativity and Discipline (at both the individual and group level) will likewise be increasingly valued as a means for creating economic value.
Relationships - just like my friend can create a themed music list to share (either passively as it's stumbled upon, or actively by sending it to others or others to it), so to can anyone share more of themselves and their identity with "anyone else" - thus creating the potential for a new relationship. I think we will need a new way to manage these relationships (see "Organization" above). "Tags" if you will, for the various people and organizations that each individual knows. But even these are uni-dimensional and fail to adequately show the interactions and inter-relationships (their "inherent value", if you will) that contribute to an accurate measure of Value.
Capital - As momentum in these areas builds, I think this naturally gives rise to a redefinition of Capital. No longer is Capital in and of itself the only means to an economic end. Access to Capital - whether directly by the people and firms you know, or indirectly by the people or firms your contacts know - will become a more valued resource and leverage point. I think that's part of the reason why China (still a Communist nation) gave The Blackstone Group (a Private Equity firm - one of the large, bastions of Capitalism) $3 Billion USD this past May.
How does this tie in w/the Pandora application? It was through that application that I discovered a new dimension to two existing relationships, as well as expanded the possibility that I could create new ones along that same or similar dimension (musical interests).
Being able to understand and capitalize on this individual and community behavior will be directly tied to ones level of security, happiness and overall well-being as we move forward. This is how new markets, competitors, etc. will be discovered.
She is timeless. Every time I hear her sing, I'm there in a jazz club in San Francisco, (1950-ish) and I can see the piano behind her a little bit, off to the right...the bassist on a small riser behind her on the right, low lights with cigarette smoke slowly wafting through the room...
That's Web 2.0, for you. One of my friends on Facebook (someone I literally haven't spoken to in 8 months, and at least a year before then) put together a song list that loaded up when I added Pandora to my Facebook page. Pandora's a music-suggestion generator from the Music Genome Project, where it will suggest music based on a variety of inputs (i.e. - tunes my friends suggest, tunes I've previously played, etc.). The bad news for me is that I already have over 98GB of music that I have purchased over the years (mostly CDs that I've converted to .MP3s) - not including all of my vinyl that I'm starting to convert. I can see that I'll be discovering and buying more music, in the coming months...
What does this mean (other than an increase in spending for me?!?! :P )?
Organization - the usual organizing principles we've used will increasingly matter less, and instead how we think about our organizing principles will matter more. "Technology" is an enabling catalyst. It's not just something with an On/Off switch and lots of blinking lights. The how we think of things...the organizing principles...the constructs and frameworks...the models - many of the current ones will become irrelevant with each new version of software, hardware, refined service offering, or social network. I think these will increasingly based on a combination of individual and group tastes...
Process - what won't become obsolete so easily is the process one uses to create these frameworks and constructs. I only see these becoming more refined with each new interaction. This iterative refinement will eventually yield entirely new processes to create new organizing principles. Due to human Nature, Behavior and Comprehension of these changes, assimilating new process(es) will take longer than assimilating technological advances and new organization structures. An effective juxtaposition of Creativity and Discipline (at both the individual and group level) will likewise be increasingly valued as a means for creating economic value.
Relationships - just like my friend can create a themed music list to share (either passively as it's stumbled upon, or actively by sending it to others or others to it), so to can anyone share more of themselves and their identity with "anyone else" - thus creating the potential for a new relationship. I think we will need a new way to manage these relationships (see "Organization" above). "Tags" if you will, for the various people and organizations that each individual knows. But even these are uni-dimensional and fail to adequately show the interactions and inter-relationships (their "inherent value", if you will) that contribute to an accurate measure of Value.
Capital - As momentum in these areas builds, I think this naturally gives rise to a redefinition of Capital. No longer is Capital in and of itself the only means to an economic end. Access to Capital - whether directly by the people and firms you know, or indirectly by the people or firms your contacts know - will become a more valued resource and leverage point. I think that's part of the reason why China (still a Communist nation) gave The Blackstone Group (a Private Equity firm - one of the large, bastions of Capitalism) $3 Billion USD this past May.
How does this tie in w/the Pandora application? It was through that application that I discovered a new dimension to two existing relationships, as well as expanded the possibility that I could create new ones along that same or similar dimension (musical interests).
Being able to understand and capitalize on this individual and community behavior will be directly tied to ones level of security, happiness and overall well-being as we move forward. This is how new markets, competitors, etc. will be discovered.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
What's Your Proposal?
Where do you draw the line between “the things you teach your children so that they can take care of themselves” and “letting them be a kid”?
I see these as two parallel tracks that intertwine, not two separate things...
And although I do not conduct regular quarterly performance reviews w/my wife in lieu of “regular” conversations about our relationship, my children (all under the age of 10) are not so lucky! I've been teaching my two youngest ones negotiation skills since they could form their thoughts and desires into a semi-coherent sentence, and will start teaching my son (the middle child) project management skills this year (he is in the second grade).
My hope is that:
they will be easier to manage & relate to when they are teenagers (I am an optimist, and of course, I think all of my children are mature geniouses...!)
they will feel more in control of their thoughts, actions and behaviors, and be more willing to be held accountable for the consequences of their actions (I told you I was an optimist!)
Worst case scenario - they will at least be more marketable and ready for the work place when they are older (and not living on Mom & Dad's couch post-college).
Most of the people I've told this to have laughed nervously and told me that they think it's overkill. I just look at it as imparting the benefit of my experiences to them – I've managed projects, and from a certain perspective (and allowing for the many contextual differences), what's the difference in the disciplines and thought processes one has to apply in successfully managing a 9-month server consolidation and a 9-month course load?
In school, they give you the guts of the project plan (called a Syllabus) with defined milestones (various exam and project due dates, etc.). Why shouldn't I help my kids get 10 years of project management experience and thinking, by the time they enter college? Franklin Covey even makes time management tools targeted specifically for the college demographic, so I don't think
I'm entirely alone in thinking this way...
My wife (who is definitely my better half!) has been very supportive of this approach. And the neat thing is that the kids have really responded to it...
Their earliest negotiations comprised them making a proposal of pre-bedtime activities, where they had to give us at least 3 (but no more than 5) options of something they wanted to do before going to bed (e.g. - reading story A, reading story B, playing a video game, playing with a certain toy or watching a certain video). Mom & I then had the option of either accepting those alternatives and picking one, negotiating with them on their proposal, or else we could say that none of their proposed options were acceptable and they had to formulate a new proposal. This gave them control over their own lives and showed them a pathway to success in getting what they want.
What about when they can't agree w/each other, like having the same story read to them, or watching the same movie? I make them negotiate w/each other (and I provide some supervision to that process, now and then, so one sibling doesn't feel like they always get the upper hand).
What about whining? Early on we established a rule: “If you whine the answer is “No”.” End of story. No discussion (and yes, I made the assumption that if they were in pain then they wouldn't be whining...). As a result – any time the kids start to whine all we have to do is ask the question, “What's the answer if you whine?” and they either say “No” or they reformulate their statement in a more acceptable manner. We don't yell, raise our voices or negotiate w/them on this; they understand the rule and live by it.
The lesson for them is that – from a very early age – they know that if they are going to get what they want in life, then they had better be prepared. Part of my job as a parent is to prepare them to be successful the best way I know how.
Will this work? Is this the right approach? Am I being too hard on them or too demanding? Will they still be able to “be a kid”? Who knows...I am sure that in the course of my parenting I will give them plenty of neurosis to sustain a wealthy lifestyle for some therapist in the future.
Until then, I'll gage my results (in part) on the behavior and demeanor of my kids – they are happy, they absolutely love each other and my wife and I, and they seem to like doing “grown up stuff” like negotiating and project management. I've recently started talking to my second grader about how the world of work is changing, and that people in other countries, whom he's never met, are already trying to work much harder and smarter than he is, in order to get ahead and compete in the Global Economy. Those are the people he is competing against, not the other kids in his class. And do you know what he said?
“Dad, if the kids in India, Japan and China, and the kids in Europe and Germany and France are all good at different things, then why can't they all just work on different parts of the same project with me? Because then we could all work together and we could all be happy and and help our families...”
I think I'm getting through to him...I hope I am open enough as I grow older to let him get through to me...
Monday, July 02, 2007
Are VCs LinkedIn?
Why not?
I haven't used my network for this, and others I've spoken to in this regard told me that they primarily use the tool to "just network" w/other potential interested parties (either as capital sources or as potential employees / free-lance resources). Presumably, any requests for capital still take place of line...
Let's explore this idea, for a moment...I have a number of smaller companies and some VC / private equity firms in my network...Why not host a virtual “capital review meeting / auction”, whereby capital providers and requesters could come together to review plans, make a case for capital infusions, etc. The best opportunities could (theoretically) go to the capital source that values it the most.
Someone is already doing this - at least on the consumer-side. This is a place where individuals (and even some small companies) post requests for funding, and it seems that just about anything can qualify. Most people seem to use it for personal financing of small business ventures or debt consolidation. There is obviously a need that is being filled here...what about for business?
As more technical capability continues to reach larger numbers of people, at an ever-increasing pace, we will continue to see innovative and creative combinations (who would have predicted that the Government of China (Communist) would have given the Blackstone Group (Capitalist) $3 Billion USD to invest???).
Bottom-line: this will be another barrier that will erode and break down...but not tomorrow.
I haven't used my network for this, and others I've spoken to in this regard told me that they primarily use the tool to "just network" w/other potential interested parties (either as capital sources or as potential employees / free-lance resources). Presumably, any requests for capital still take place of line...
Let's explore this idea, for a moment...I have a number of smaller companies and some VC / private equity firms in my network...Why not host a virtual “capital review meeting / auction”, whereby capital providers and requesters could come together to review plans, make a case for capital infusions, etc. The best opportunities could (theoretically) go to the capital source that values it the most.
Someone is already doing this - at least on the consumer-side. This is a place where individuals (and even some small companies) post requests for funding, and it seems that just about anything can qualify. Most people seem to use it for personal financing of small business ventures or debt consolidation. There is obviously a need that is being filled here...what about for business?
As more technical capability continues to reach larger numbers of people, at an ever-increasing pace, we will continue to see innovative and creative combinations (who would have predicted that the Government of China (Communist) would have given the Blackstone Group (Capitalist) $3 Billion USD to invest???).
Bottom-line: this will be another barrier that will erode and break down...but not tomorrow.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Liar's Poker - don't waste your money...
...you can waste your time and save your money by checking this out of your local library.
If you want to get an "inside view" of the inner workings of Wall Street during the excessive gyrations of the '80s, then read Den of Theives - that book is well written and well worth the money!
What turned me off about this book was the structure and the writing style. The first half of the book was essentially the author relating fortuitous circumstances that were the product of Serendipity. He was simply in the right place at the right time, had virutally no idea how he got there, felt out of place the whole time (even when he was raking in the Big Bucks in NY and London), and so now he thought he'd wwrite a book about it. I also got the sense that he was trying to assuage some guilt from his association at Salomon Brothers. He was there, he made a lot of money, good for him - get over it!
I was also pretty disappointed because the subject matter has A LOT more potential. I might have actually enjoyed it - had I not read Den of Theives 7 years earlier, and already had some idea of how things took place. But, if you can get it for $5 or less (including shipping), and you have little to no knowledge of what an investment banker's life is like (and you haven't also seen the movie Wall Street (which covers the same highlights in this book)), then it's probably worth it.
I did like the wrap up he did towards the end of the book, relating where he had heard everyone from the firm ended up...although that seemed a little rushed...
If you want to get an "inside view" of the inner workings of Wall Street during the excessive gyrations of the '80s, then read Den of Theives - that book is well written and well worth the money!
What turned me off about this book was the structure and the writing style. The first half of the book was essentially the author relating fortuitous circumstances that were the product of Serendipity. He was simply in the right place at the right time, had virutally no idea how he got there, felt out of place the whole time (even when he was raking in the Big Bucks in NY and London), and so now he thought he'd wwrite a book about it. I also got the sense that he was trying to assuage some guilt from his association at Salomon Brothers. He was there, he made a lot of money, good for him - get over it!
I was also pretty disappointed because the subject matter has A LOT more potential. I might have actually enjoyed it - had I not read Den of Theives 7 years earlier, and already had some idea of how things took place. But, if you can get it for $5 or less (including shipping), and you have little to no knowledge of what an investment banker's life is like (and you haven't also seen the movie Wall Street (which covers the same highlights in this book)), then it's probably worth it.
I did like the wrap up he did towards the end of the book, relating where he had heard everyone from the firm ended up...although that seemed a little rushed...
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Convergence is NOT bullshit
Let me just say, for the record, that Chris and I see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but I've got to disagree with him on this one. We've even gone back and forth on this topic over several months. And even though I've wanted to I just haven't been able to blog about this one until now.
As with most general platitudes (which sound great to say, but upon further examination don't always hold water), one needs to first set the context of the remark. Seamus Blackley (one of the original creators of the Microsoft Xbox) was correct when he made his statement – in the context of what he was talking about.
The Xbox would NOT be a good all-in-one home media device (at least, not right out of the gate, when they had the conversation many years ago). I still don't think it's ready for prime time. Will Microsoft get there? Probably? Will the Xbox be the vehicle? Don't know. But, that converged functionality is coming; people want it and companies want to figure out how to deliver it. (In fact, I've got a few ideas of my own on how to do this...but that's a blog for another day...)
Here are some good examples of convergence (which I am summarizing to mean a successful combination of functionality and delivery vehicle):
- secure fax machine
- recent versions of smart phones & Blackberries (Treo 700P/W, the HTCs, etc.)
- SkyNet service (which got renamed to Flynet...hmmm) on Lufthansa (no, I'm not talking about this one; I'm talking about this one)
- roller skates and Heelies
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- cable industry converging with the telephone industry into something new (i.e. - Comcast, SBC, Qwest, etc.)
- Youtube.com
- Amazon.com (internet, book store, supply chain and logistics expertise)
- (and yes, the swiss army knife)
...and there are more. The point is, by bringing together different functionality and vehicles with which to deliver it to defined markets, certain companies will gain advantages over their rivals, for some period of time. So, while I think this is also a good and cool example of convergence, ultimately market acceptance and business execution will determine how long that advantage remains.
The graphic that Chris posted depicting a toaster / coffee maker / bread baker is an example of “Convergence of Convenience”. The question is not, "Could you eat at The Palm with a Swiss Army knife and enjoy the experience (well, I could, but that's just me)?" Rather, the quesstion is, "Would you eat at The Palm with a Swiss Army knife and enjoy the experience"? Most people (the Contrarians among us aside) would say "No" to that experience.
Currently, I think most “smart cameras” and cell phones would fall into this category. Honestly, I see this type of innovation as "educational" more than anything else. "Let's show people what this technology can do, let's give it to them, and then let's step back. Many people knew they wanted a Walkman before Sony came out with one. And so you havethings like this and this.
No, most of these examples of convergence are not mind-blowingly earth shattering – but for a short period of time, they are market differentiating. And that is really the point. If a company can execute well with that tactic then they will have an advantage for some period of time. Other companies will try to copy them. Consumers / Markets will then vote with their dollars. They will also find unintended ways to leverage the new technology in ways the creators (probably) hadn't even considered when they created the original specifications. Of note:
- music sampling in rap and rock music
- tire swings
- coke bottle bird feeders
- camera phone to take picture of the license plates and damage to cars in a car crash
- other --> who knows?
And people in companies will have to innovate again. And the cycle will continue...and that's why Convergence is not Bullshit. Some additional food for thought...
As with most general platitudes (which sound great to say, but upon further examination don't always hold water), one needs to first set the context of the remark. Seamus Blackley (one of the original creators of the Microsoft Xbox) was correct when he made his statement – in the context of what he was talking about.
The Xbox would NOT be a good all-in-one home media device (at least, not right out of the gate, when they had the conversation many years ago). I still don't think it's ready for prime time. Will Microsoft get there? Probably? Will the Xbox be the vehicle? Don't know. But, that converged functionality is coming; people want it and companies want to figure out how to deliver it. (In fact, I've got a few ideas of my own on how to do this...but that's a blog for another day...)
Here are some good examples of convergence (which I am summarizing to mean a successful combination of functionality and delivery vehicle):
- secure fax machine
- recent versions of smart phones & Blackberries (Treo 700P/W, the HTCs, etc.)
- SkyNet service (which got renamed to Flynet...hmmm) on Lufthansa (no, I'm not talking about this one; I'm talking about this one)
- roller skates and Heelies
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- cable industry converging with the telephone industry into something new (i.e. - Comcast, SBC, Qwest, etc.)
- Youtube.com
- Amazon.com (internet, book store, supply chain and logistics expertise)
- (and yes, the swiss army knife)
...and there are more. The point is, by bringing together different functionality and vehicles with which to deliver it to defined markets, certain companies will gain advantages over their rivals, for some period of time. So, while I think this is also a good and cool example of convergence, ultimately market acceptance and business execution will determine how long that advantage remains.
The graphic that Chris posted depicting a toaster / coffee maker / bread baker is an example of “Convergence of Convenience”. The question is not, "Could you eat at The Palm with a Swiss Army knife and enjoy the experience (well, I could, but that's just me)?" Rather, the quesstion is, "Would you eat at The Palm with a Swiss Army knife and enjoy the experience"? Most people (the Contrarians among us aside) would say "No" to that experience.
Currently, I think most “smart cameras” and cell phones would fall into this category. Honestly, I see this type of innovation as "educational" more than anything else. "Let's show people what this technology can do, let's give it to them, and then let's step back. Many people knew they wanted a Walkman before Sony came out with one. And so you havethings like this and this.
No, most of these examples of convergence are not mind-blowingly earth shattering – but for a short period of time, they are market differentiating. And that is really the point. If a company can execute well with that tactic then they will have an advantage for some period of time. Other companies will try to copy them. Consumers / Markets will then vote with their dollars. They will also find unintended ways to leverage the new technology in ways the creators (probably) hadn't even considered when they created the original specifications. Of note:
- music sampling in rap and rock music
- tire swings
- coke bottle bird feeders
- camera phone to take picture of the license plates and damage to cars in a car crash
- other --> who knows?
And people in companies will have to innovate again. And the cycle will continue...and that's why Convergence is not Bullshit. Some additional food for thought...
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
"Let the Sun shine..."
As a follow up to yesterday's post, check this out: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/061107/sec_ceo_blogs.html?.v=2
(and for you younger folks, the blog title is a double entendre):
- refernences that famous anthem by the 5th. Dimension
- a nod to the company profiled in the press release
(and for you younger folks, the blog title is a double entendre):
- refernences that famous anthem by the 5th. Dimension
- a nod to the company profiled in the press release
Creative and Profitable
Why begrudge someone else's success just because they took of an advantage of a creative idea before you? I'm not sure why some people feel this need; to me, that's just "my bad" and it means I need to take some action!
What am I referring to? These interesting business ideas are just a few examples:
- Million Dollar Web Page (http://www.milliondollarhomepage.com/); the ones I like the most are the single-pixel ones - some of which are either reserved for someone, have an order pending, or are just plan silly (see if you can find the "Pimp My Pixel - the Wave of the Future" one!)
- One Red Paper Clip (http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/) tells of one man's journey from one red paper clip to owning a house in Saskatchewan
- Pixledoodle (http://www.pixeloodle.com/) - another knock-off or will this one work too? The owner is almost half way to their goal...
and more...
While these might just seem like gimmicky internet ideas, the reality is that they:
- created attention around a particular theme
- the creator was able to create tangible value from an intangible idea
- someone else saw enough value in what was going on that they gave the creator money, time, etc.
Nothing wrong with that. Does that mean that this is the forefront of some new business model we all need to start worrying about? I don't think so; not at this stage, anyway.
I think that it's a good experiment that shows the possibilities of making technology accessible to people, and letting them see where their creativity takes them. And that's where businesses need to show more courage. I tried to get my old company interested in web blogs (6 years ago), just for internal uses. I used examples of car companies letting their employees blog about all sorts of things - gardening, the company, etc. - and showed how it actually helped the company overall. It was over ruled as a "potential security issue". Now, the CEO blogs and is talking with the SEC about disseminating financial information to the world via a blog.
Companies, industries, organizations...if they've been around for a bit they have a vested interested in the status quo. After all, that's a large part of what got them where they are in the first place. I understand why governments might think that way. I have a harder time supporting this notion for the marketplace. Sticking with what you know will usually just get you more of what you've already got.
Now, what are you going to do with it?
What am I referring to? These interesting business ideas are just a few examples:
- Million Dollar Web Page (http://www.milliondollarhomepage.com/); the ones I like the most are the single-pixel ones - some of which are either reserved for someone, have an order pending, or are just plan silly (see if you can find the "Pimp My Pixel - the Wave of the Future" one!)
- One Red Paper Clip (http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/) tells of one man's journey from one red paper clip to owning a house in Saskatchewan
- Pixledoodle (http://www.pixeloodle.com/) - another knock-off or will this one work too? The owner is almost half way to their goal...
and more...
While these might just seem like gimmicky internet ideas, the reality is that they:
- created attention around a particular theme
- the creator was able to create tangible value from an intangible idea
- someone else saw enough value in what was going on that they gave the creator money, time, etc.
Nothing wrong with that. Does that mean that this is the forefront of some new business model we all need to start worrying about? I don't think so; not at this stage, anyway.
I think that it's a good experiment that shows the possibilities of making technology accessible to people, and letting them see where their creativity takes them. And that's where businesses need to show more courage. I tried to get my old company interested in web blogs (6 years ago), just for internal uses. I used examples of car companies letting their employees blog about all sorts of things - gardening, the company, etc. - and showed how it actually helped the company overall. It was over ruled as a "potential security issue". Now, the CEO blogs and is talking with the SEC about disseminating financial information to the world via a blog.
Companies, industries, organizations...if they've been around for a bit they have a vested interested in the status quo. After all, that's a large part of what got them where they are in the first place. I understand why governments might think that way. I have a harder time supporting this notion for the marketplace. Sticking with what you know will usually just get you more of what you've already got.
Now, what are you going to do with it?
Monday, November 06, 2006
Communication
"I believe companies should be as transparent as possible with information."
Okay, that's a nice platitude...but what does it really mean? It's benign-sounding enough so that it will be difficult to disagree with the statement. It's ambiguous enough that one can't really hold the speaker accountable without more specific information. Much is left up to the speaker to define the terms for themselves, ex post facto.
We're not quite at this point yet, but soon one will begin to argue that without a strong, fully diversified online presence, companies will not be doing all they can to communicate to their various constituents.
Here are several recent examples (and there are more I can share) of what I am talking about:
1. Look at what Sun Microsystems is doing
2. Look at what Toyota and Adidas are doing; even The Economist is taking note
3. Listen to what National Public Radio (NPR) had to say about it this morning
No, this isn't a plug for Second Life or it's non-virtual company, Linden Lab.
It's about being flexible enough to adjust your approach to reach your existing markets in new ways. It's about being courageous enough to let go or test firmly held opinions about "how things should be done".
That's a challenge in any world, with or without any kind of intervention - from government, the marketplace or otherwise.
What are you doing about it for your company and it's brand? What are you doing about it for you and your own brand? And how are you involving those important to your success - your customers, peers, etc. - versus just "going it alone?"
Okay, that's a nice platitude...but what does it really mean? It's benign-sounding enough so that it will be difficult to disagree with the statement. It's ambiguous enough that one can't really hold the speaker accountable without more specific information. Much is left up to the speaker to define the terms for themselves, ex post facto.
We're not quite at this point yet, but soon one will begin to argue that without a strong, fully diversified online presence, companies will not be doing all they can to communicate to their various constituents.
Here are several recent examples (and there are more I can share) of what I am talking about:
1. Look at what Sun Microsystems is doing
2. Look at what Toyota and Adidas are doing; even The Economist is taking note
3. Listen to what National Public Radio (NPR) had to say about it this morning
No, this isn't a plug for Second Life or it's non-virtual company, Linden Lab.
It's about being flexible enough to adjust your approach to reach your existing markets in new ways. It's about being courageous enough to let go or test firmly held opinions about "how things should be done".
That's a challenge in any world, with or without any kind of intervention - from government, the marketplace or otherwise.
What are you doing about it for your company and it's brand? What are you doing about it for you and your own brand? And how are you involving those important to your success - your customers, peers, etc. - versus just "going it alone?"
Saturday, August 26, 2006
The United States of America's Legacy
I met up with a friend of mine today, someone I hadn't seen in over 4 years. The last time we met, he and his business partner were trying to convince me to leave my employer and go with them to start a company, and they wanted me to be their CTO. It was a very attractive offer, but for a number of reasons I declined. And, except for an occasional email over the years, we kind of lost touch.
Well, I was in another meeting earlier this week, speaking with some people about working with Angel Investors in the start-up phase of a business, and someone pulled out an "example checklist" that they thought was a good evaluation guide that they used. The company name on the sheet? You guessed it - it was the company we were considering starting! So, of course I told my friend about it.
Anyway, as I was driving home from our meeting today, I came away with a number of different ideas. One of them was about the state of employment in the U.S.. For the last 80+ years, our society has nurtured the idea of a career working for a large corporation, through which we could have our financial security and other needs met. It worked well for a while, but it turned out that it's not a model that's sustainable over the long term. The engine of commerce has always had its roots in the small and medium sized enterprises.
With the growth of the technology sector, and some of the tools that are now freely available, the barriers to entry for an individual or even groups of individuals, to launch a new enterprise, have really fallen through the floor. Other than tangible inventory (if that's even relevant for your business), it is now possible to have a virtually "free" infrastructure for your startup:
- computers (most people have one; a pretty good one that could fit most of your needs can be acquired now for anywhere from $500 - $1500)
- phones (with a number of different Voice Over IP (VOIP) offerings now available, you actually have a choice of providers
- office productivity software (openoffice.org has a free word processing / spreadsheet / presentation software suite you can use; Google, Yahoo, etc. have free email and calendar applications you can use)
- office space (in most cases, you can literally work out of your home to get started)
So, if you ever wanted to start a business in the States, the minimum you have to do is to go and file your DBA with your local government, and your in business. Then, coupled with the above and your very own website, you can get your idea up and running. It's that simple.
So, if it's that simple, why don't more people do it?
Because it's not easy. It's very, very, very hard. For every 10 businesses that start, 9 will fail within their first two years of operation. But what's interesting is that for those individuals who start more than one business (generally 3 - 5), that statistic reverses itself - 9 out of 10 succeed into their fifth year! What's the difference?
Persistence.
Well, I was in another meeting earlier this week, speaking with some people about working with Angel Investors in the start-up phase of a business, and someone pulled out an "example checklist" that they thought was a good evaluation guide that they used. The company name on the sheet? You guessed it - it was the company we were considering starting! So, of course I told my friend about it.
Anyway, as I was driving home from our meeting today, I came away with a number of different ideas. One of them was about the state of employment in the U.S.. For the last 80+ years, our society has nurtured the idea of a career working for a large corporation, through which we could have our financial security and other needs met. It worked well for a while, but it turned out that it's not a model that's sustainable over the long term. The engine of commerce has always had its roots in the small and medium sized enterprises.
With the growth of the technology sector, and some of the tools that are now freely available, the barriers to entry for an individual or even groups of individuals, to launch a new enterprise, have really fallen through the floor. Other than tangible inventory (if that's even relevant for your business), it is now possible to have a virtually "free" infrastructure for your startup:
- computers (most people have one; a pretty good one that could fit most of your needs can be acquired now for anywhere from $500 - $1500)
- phones (with a number of different Voice Over IP (VOIP) offerings now available, you actually have a choice of providers
- office productivity software (openoffice.org has a free word processing / spreadsheet / presentation software suite you can use; Google, Yahoo, etc. have free email and calendar applications you can use)
- office space (in most cases, you can literally work out of your home to get started)
So, if you ever wanted to start a business in the States, the minimum you have to do is to go and file your DBA with your local government, and your in business. Then, coupled with the above and your very own website, you can get your idea up and running. It's that simple.
So, if it's that simple, why don't more people do it?
Because it's not easy. It's very, very, very hard. For every 10 businesses that start, 9 will fail within their first two years of operation. But what's interesting is that for those individuals who start more than one business (generally 3 - 5), that statistic reverses itself - 9 out of 10 succeed into their fifth year! What's the difference?
Persistence.
Monday, August 21, 2006
The Worldly Philosphers
I read this many years ago, during my MBA program. It was required reading, and it didn't seem to be directly related to the Economics I was learning at the time. And it's not an Economics book, per se. It's a book that will enable you to think about Economics. It's the context that it delivers to the reader that makes it valuable.I particularly liked the chapters discussing John Maynard Keynes and his arbitrage experiences, Schumpeter's views on the "fitfull starts and stops" of Capitalism, as well as the discussions of Malthus' and Marx's views.
It reminded me of similar essays discussing the evolution of many central ideas in Physics, and the people behind them, and how they came into being. The Worldy Philosophers provides a nice backdrop upon which one can more easiily view the evolution of Economic thought over the centuries. It is a well-written tome and I found it to be an easy read. I recommend the book, and when you can pick up a used copy in good conditon for less than $10.00 USD on Amazon, I think it's hard to go wrong.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
"It's the Singer, not the Song"
I watched "The Aristocrats" recently. For those of you haven't seen it yet, I won't spoil it for you; I think it's worth a rental. In a nutshell, the directors take a number of different comics and portray all of them telling their own version of the same joke; several of them even elaborate on it and relate their perspectives on the joke, it's place in comedy, etc. It's kind of like a documentary...but funny! I enjoyed the movie, but two things stuck with me:
1) Kevin Pollack's impression of Christopher Walken. First off, I like Christopher Walken. He seems to live in between multiple worlds! I like that guy. He is effective in multiple genres (drama, comedy, music videos, etc.), and while he doesn't seem to take himself seriously he does seem to take what he does seriously (to paraphrase my comedic philosopher / college roommate of many years ago). Plus, he's got his own style with which he does things. Which leads me to...
2) ...the title of this blog. One of the comics mentioned it when they were relating their perspective on the joke. And my mind (as it often does) riffed off of that and onto another tangent -
Leadership. An important word that often comes across as trite, and frequently trivialized with glib lip service. What is leadership? How do you identify it? How do you measure it? I've been thinking about this off and on for about a week. I had a conversation with a professional colleague, and we got around to the subject of leadership. In my opinion, if you don't have it or can't exhibit it with how you live, let alone how you do your job, it will come across as an ephemeral, taunting muse...you can see it, but it's just out of reach. You can see that you don't have it.
I think I've still got a lot to learn (which I think is part of the reason why I'm still around), but I am fortunate that I have had many leadership experiences from an early age. I think my first real leadership role was in the Boy Scouts, when I was about 12 and I had to get a bunch of older, teen ager boys to not just listen to me and do what I asked, but also to support me. Now that's a scary challenge for a young lad...
So, what is leadership, and how do you judge a leader? Most of the definitions I've read are tautological, and don't shed any new light on the subject (see Wikipedia or Merriam Webster's Dictionary for more data). My Dad used to quote Shakespeare's Henry V and the speech King Henry gave to his troops before the Battle of Agincourt (known as the St. Crispin's Day speech).
I'll give you my definition (and how I identify it), and then tell you how I measure it. I'm going to skip the obvious characterizations of title, office, majority party, etc., and focus on the more personal characteristics of Leadership. As with good Modern Art, "I know it when I see it".
There are two aspects to it - the internal and the external. The external can be seen through an individual's behaviors and measured by the results he produces. The internal is tougher to see or evaluate.
The external is what everyone sees; the internal is what everyone wants to know.
I've always like books of quotations, and I think Voltaire summed it up best when he referred to it as “...the fruits of labor, the price of courage.” You measure it by one's results (“...the fruits of labor...”); you identify it by the “...price of courage.” (how one makes decisions, especially difficult ones; how they use what they stand for in life to guide their actions).
Essentially, when it comes time to make a tough decision, how will one decide? Unlike the stock market, I think a person's past performance in this realm IS a good predictor of future performance. Leadership comes from one's character, and that doesn't really change too much after about age 7.
1) Kevin Pollack's impression of Christopher Walken. First off, I like Christopher Walken. He seems to live in between multiple worlds! I like that guy. He is effective in multiple genres (drama, comedy, music videos, etc.), and while he doesn't seem to take himself seriously he does seem to take what he does seriously (to paraphrase my comedic philosopher / college roommate of many years ago). Plus, he's got his own style with which he does things. Which leads me to...
2) ...the title of this blog. One of the comics mentioned it when they were relating their perspective on the joke. And my mind (as it often does) riffed off of that and onto another tangent -
Leadership. An important word that often comes across as trite, and frequently trivialized with glib lip service. What is leadership? How do you identify it? How do you measure it? I've been thinking about this off and on for about a week. I had a conversation with a professional colleague, and we got around to the subject of leadership. In my opinion, if you don't have it or can't exhibit it with how you live, let alone how you do your job, it will come across as an ephemeral, taunting muse...you can see it, but it's just out of reach. You can see that you don't have it.
I think I've still got a lot to learn (which I think is part of the reason why I'm still around), but I am fortunate that I have had many leadership experiences from an early age. I think my first real leadership role was in the Boy Scouts, when I was about 12 and I had to get a bunch of older, teen ager boys to not just listen to me and do what I asked, but also to support me. Now that's a scary challenge for a young lad...
So, what is leadership, and how do you judge a leader? Most of the definitions I've read are tautological, and don't shed any new light on the subject (see Wikipedia or Merriam Webster's Dictionary for more data). My Dad used to quote Shakespeare's Henry V and the speech King Henry gave to his troops before the Battle of Agincourt (known as the St. Crispin's Day speech).
I'll give you my definition (and how I identify it), and then tell you how I measure it. I'm going to skip the obvious characterizations of title, office, majority party, etc., and focus on the more personal characteristics of Leadership. As with good Modern Art, "I know it when I see it".
There are two aspects to it - the internal and the external. The external can be seen through an individual's behaviors and measured by the results he produces. The internal is tougher to see or evaluate.
The external is what everyone sees; the internal is what everyone wants to know.
I've always like books of quotations, and I think Voltaire summed it up best when he referred to it as “...the fruits of labor, the price of courage.” You measure it by one's results (“...the fruits of labor...”); you identify it by the “...price of courage.” (how one makes decisions, especially difficult ones; how they use what they stand for in life to guide their actions).
Essentially, when it comes time to make a tough decision, how will one decide? Unlike the stock market, I think a person's past performance in this realm IS a good predictor of future performance. Leadership comes from one's character, and that doesn't really change too much after about age 7.
This is what I thought of when I heard the quote I used for this blog's title. It was mentioned in reference to the telling of a particular joke. I heard it in reference to how one leads in life (business, family, self, etc.).
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