Ever wonder what sells products these days? Is it the features and benefits, the buyer’s needs, the price? It’s none of the above. What sells products these days is the stories that resonates with us, the stories we choose to believe. Entrerpreneurs succeed when they tell us a story that aligns with our view of…
Waiting, something that the late Generation X’ers and Millennials have never really had to do much of it. In fact, we cringe at the thought of it. Thanks to fast food retailers, express trains like Gautrain, people quickly drive pass the amber light at the traffic light, supermarket “10 items or less” tills (just to name…
"I don't like it" "I don't understand it" Those are the only responses your new idea can possibly generate from many around you if your new idea is actually a great idea, something own-able, something you can build work around. The popular, obvious, guaranteed ideas have definitely been taken, or are so small that they…
TED talks are like a university with different speakers being lectures in various topics (subjects). Education and how we disseminate information has shifted. TED Talks are another powerful way of sharing ideas, telling stories, educating and inspiring people. Ideas are the currency of the 21st century and TED Talks are the gold mines where ideas…
But if we did, it would take a lot to speak up in a useful way. It is difficult to be a generous skeptic. Not only do we have to be clear and vulnerable and actionable, but we cross a social boundary when we speak up. Our feedback might be rejected, or we might be…
There are endless opportunities for people and businesses that can reliably and fairly take a problem off our hands. "I will take care of it," and I will do it well, at least as well as you can, for a price that will not make you feel stupid. "I will take care of it," and…
A brand cannot care about you. A company cannot care about you either. All that can care is people. So if someone in a business (and it does not have to be the CEO), decides they would rather work in a place where you care, they can start caring. They can hire people who care,…
Certain books should come with a read warning sticker on the cover which reads: "TMCYLF" meaning: "This might change your live forever" Frank Kafka put it very well when he said “A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.” He futher more said: “I think we ought to read only the kind…
It is not always easy to measure what matters. Sometimes, the thing that matters does not make it easy for you to measure. The easiest path is to find a stand-in for what you care about and measure that instead. For example, websites do not actually care about how many minutes someone spends on the…
Unless someone does, things start to fray around the edges. Often it is the entrepreneur or the manager who sets a standard of caring about the details. Even better is a culture where everyone cares, and where each person reinforces that horizontally throughout the team. You have probably been to the hotel that doesn't answer…
Sometimes, only better is better.
The best thing to say to an artist of any kind might be: "someday, people will think what you did is really important." If it is popular with everyone right away, it might not be art, it might just be good marketing. But if it earns attention and respect over time, if it wins over the…
