critical assumption

Springwise | Ideas for your business brain

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:25:00 +0000

Airline commissions books that can be completed in flight time
	Australia’s Qantas airline has created a range of new fiction titles for its customers, selected to correspond with flight times. READ MORE...

In Israel, QR code application form only scannable by students with high IQs
	Only students with the right quiz answers are able to correctly fill out a QR code to apply for a place on the Kidum 700 course.READ MORE...

Data analytics app provides detailed hyper-local information
	BlockAvenue is bringing more data to the hyper-local level, offering statistics about specific blocks in the US. READ MORE...

Springwise Access is our professional service for businesses — a personalized research tool that provides instant access to our exclusive database of over 4,000 innovative ideas and startups.Learn more...

Glowing polar bear energy sensor, book and app educates kids about global warming
	The Bobo energy display, storybook and app for kids illustrates the connection between home energy consumption and the wellbeing of polar bears. READ MORE...

Where Are They Now? SOLARKIOSK
	We caught up with SOLARKIOSK to find out how they’re coping with the task of bringing renewable energy – and business development opportunities – to rural Africa. READ MORE...

Subscription service offers a taste of a different city’s culture each month
	Try The World offers boxes of products sourced from a different corner of the world each month. READ MORE...

App notifies recruiters when criteria-matching jobseekers are nearby
	JobProx is a smartphone app that connects recruiters and employers with job seekers when they happen to be in the same vicinity. READ MORE...

Concept store enables customers to make and share their own digital ‘look book’
	The Karl Lagerfeld Store in Amsterdam is enabling online sharing of new looks straight from the changing room. READ MORE...

Bespoke alternative prosthetics boost amputees’ self esteem and style
	The Alternative Limb Project is helping a stylish audience boost their self esteem, with its fashionable, unconventional prosthetics.READ MORE...

Spokeless wheels bring full suspension to foldable bikes
	Loopwheels is a spokeless wheel design from UK-based Jelly Products that aims to offer a more comfortable ride. READ MORE...

Science experiments for curious kids by subscription
	genius.box hopes to get children completing projects related to STEM subjects through regular delivered packages. READ MORE...

Search tool offers medical information personalized to each user
	Medivizor helps patients find medical information that is relevant to them by tailoring results to each user. READ MORE...

Pinterest-style site integrates social sharing, digital identification and online shopping
	myStorey is a new platform that enables users to create their own Pinterest-style boards, with photo-tagging capabilities to let others know where they bought the items. READ MORE...

Online concert venue grants access to sold out shows
	EVNTLIVE is an online concert venue that enables users watch a customizable live feed of shows with friends. READ MORE...

Platform helps clients track contractor billing in real time
	Viewabill enables clients to monitor their contractors’ work hours and expenditure in real time, helping them to keep bills under control. READ MORE...

Browser rewards users for surfing the web
	Perk is a browser that enables users to earn points when they shop, search and share online. READ MORE...

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This just about sums up what we really know...

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:16:00 +0000

I found this quote and thought it really sums up what we think we know, or what we believe we know, or even those things we know we know nothing about but feel free to have an opinion. It has clarified my thinking for today, because I know he's speaking the truth!!

My Opinion...Abercrombie has the right to make "skinny" clothes

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:27:00 +0000

OK - I'm getting ready to jump on the band wagon about Abercrombie and their right to both make statements and clothes that fit only skinny people - because it's called a FREE MARKET for a reason. Here's the first one...

Reason #1 - All businesses should be focused on their customer - and many of the best businesses will limit their customers (oh the world of niche businesses and markets). In the case of A&F, they have decided to limit their customer base to a specific range of sizes - and guess what, there are other retailers that do the same thing (but of course they are marketed as BIG & TALL or PLUS sizes) which is just good business.

Reason #2 - All businesses should know who their customers are, and create products and services that fill that need. A&F caters to a very specific set of customers, with a very specific set of products. Does that mean people not specifically targeted don't want their products? No, but that has nothing to do with A&F.

Reason #3 - Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it's not popular or "politically correct" - including the CEO of A&F. I've read what Mike Jeffries said IN A 2006 SALON interview and personally, who cares. He has every right to say what he wants - and for his company to position their clothes how they want and to attract the customers they want. Once again, it's a free market, he is free to say and sell what he wants and everyone else is free to buy (or not buy) what they want.

Personally, I believe the US is fat and unhealthy - in fact, I was fat an unhealthy for the majority of my adult life - I decided to change that about a year ago and started exercising and eating better. Can I do better, sure - but my opinion still stands. All you have to do is go any mall or Walmart in the US and just become aware of the people around you - and I guarantee you will witness how fat and unhealthy the country has become. What Mike Jeffries said, pissed some people off - and they took offense to it and even called him a bully. Well, I don't believe you can say he is a bully just by what he said - and anyone that took offense should look at themselves in mirror and if they are fat, do something about it and if their kids are fat, they should help their kids do something about. Humans are not meant to be fat - it's not a natural state of being - Mike Jeffries just said some words, those hearing them should just get over it.

End rant.

What he said - from this Huffington Post article...

“In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids,” he says. “Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don’t alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either.”

Difference of Opinion...Nothing has changed

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:36:00 +0000

I just received an email from the American Marketing Association, advertising an upcoming podcast with the tittle "What’s changed in product development and marketing since 1980? Everything" -- that got me thinking (btw, I'll add the link to the AMA website and webcast below, just incase you're interested).

Has EVERYTHING changed in marketing? Or have things just evolved over time? My belief is that things evolved - naturally. It's not always a smooth curve or path, but it is a progression. And most of that change has been brought about by technology - both in how our customer's use it and how we use it for Marketing.

But first of all, let me explain that to me - MARKETING - is much more than just communicating, advertising, and fancy design work; it's bigger than awards for those that produce those things; it's so much larger than Super Bowl ads. At it's core, Marketing is a professional discipline that drives revenue, top line stuff. It is the high octane, jet fuel that speeds the business engine down the road. I don't care if it's the smallest business to the global megacorp - Marketing is there to drive sales and revenue up. There are things we could talk about in the area of cost reduction - but in my mind, marketing is not about the bottom line, it is about the top line - end of story.

And how do you drive the top line? You create products and services people want to buy, you build them in such a way they fit what the way a customer wants to pull money out of their pockets to pay for them and create a "promise" to that customer - that that money will be justified by the "experience" they get from your product or service. Plain and simple - Marketing supports the buying decision. Now, if you have crappy products or service - the promise of the product or service better be that of a "it's not the best, but it will do" - and if you have superior products or services, the message better be about that, and the price should reflect it.

That hasn't changed. People want to buy products and service - it is up to Marketing to let them know about how "your" product or service fits within their perceived idea of that category of products or services. Now what has changed is how we "tell" our stories. How we extract information. How we use that information to build the top line. But the basic premise of marketing has not changed - it's our job to know the who, what, when, how, and where - then apply it to the product, price, place and promotion. The tools we use are both old school and new school - they are applied with an artistic flare and scientific precision - when done right, we support the sales efforts to create friction-less transactions with our customers, matching their "expectations" of what they will receive.

Marketing hasn't changed - times and tools changed. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Links:
AMA
Podcast/webcast - What’s changed in product development and marketing since 1980? Everything.

Initial Success is not THE PLAN

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:14:00 +0000

I read an article on one of my new favorite blogs called "The Rational Male" called "The Plan" and it hit me because in many instances, our PLAN is more about creating initial success (and wins) rather than full blown success or seeing something all the way through to the end.

In the post, Rollo writes about "dating" - and how just getting the girl to accept a date is not THE PLAN and that if you believe you are successful at this point, then you haven't really thought through everything yet. But how many times do we "think" our first few wins means we are successful.

Now for me, the article is interesting because it makes a few points about how we trick our minds into believing that any small win/victory is the same as successfully executing THE PLAN. Hey, I'm all for celebrating wins, but that doesn't mean the game (or plan in this case) of over. Keep you head about you, keep winning, taking action, looking forward - but don't loose sight of the ultimate goal.

Getting the date (in this case) is a step, but it's not the full plan. Understand your full plan, then you can determine when you win and when to celebrate.

It's been forever...

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:52:00 +0000

It's been a while since I decided to write a blog post - lots of stuff that has happened in my personal live over the past few years - but really, that's just an excuse - because everybody has problems and situations that come up that "keep them away" from things.

I was thinking the other day about "failures" - and if you've lived more that a few years, you have them. But my thinking was..."is it failure, or just a learning experience?"...and that's what I'd like to write about, how those failures can be learning experiences.

Think about the worst failure in your life - in mine, it was the time when I held onto a startup business venture for too long, ran out of money while being the sole support for my wife and kids, and it was a very bad time. I don't think I really fully recovered from it - I still have those feelings of "how could I do that", "what kind of husband and father are you", etc. and so on. That was the worst, and I carried it with me (and still carry it with me) to this day.

Now, I can't change history. I can't go back in time. And I can get back all those years from that moment to this one. BUT, I could have decided to view it as something other than a failure. I learned a bunch in my time - both professionally and personally. I did things I've never done before. I push some beyond some limits in myself, faced some fears. There was lots to take out of that time.

So, here's my assumption - that the quicker you get beyond thinking of it as a "failure" and get to thinking of it as a "lesson" / learning experience - because that's where the you turn your experiences, success, failure or inbetween, into the stepping stones to your future.

Fail fast, learn quick, move onto the next.

Appetite for New Business Ideas? | Well, here's Springwise

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:09:00 +0000

Your weekly fix of entrepreneurial inspiration (View this message in a browser)

Hi Arnie,

Here is your weekly dose of new business ideas:

Follow Springwise:

Fingerprint recognition allows automatic Facebook updates for hotel guests
	The Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel will soon feature technology that recognizes guests' fingerprints and automatically updates their Facebook profiles. READ MORE...

In the Netherlands, bike paths heated during winter months
	A test project in the Netherlands seeks to use the energy generated by the sun to heat bicycle paths during the winter.READ MORE...

World's first low-water, low-energy vertical farm opens in Singapore
	Singapore's Sky Greens vertical farm is a compact solution to low-impact food production. READ MORE...

The art of conversation – communication as an essential skill
	Some of our featured founders tell us why communication is key to running a successful startup. READ MORE...

Jewelry made from landmines by conflict-afflicted citizens
	Saught is a social business that helps Cambodians to create jewelry products out of the scrap metal left behind by landmines.READ MORE...

Platform offers second-hand fashion direct from others' closets
	Material Wrld enables users to share photos of the clothes and accessories they own and easily sell them to those who like them.READ MORE...

Wise Words with Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez
	Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, the brain behind Hop, a suitcase that can move independently gives us an insight into his inventive world. READ MORE...

Platform fills empty cinema seats through customer discounts
	DealFlicks offers film lovers lower prices for filling seats otherwise left unused. READ MORE...

Themed party packages delivered to the door
	Postbox Party offers themed packages that aim to include everything hosts may need for a picnic, or other events and parties. READ MORE...

Shopping app connects users with similar body types
	BeauCoo is a mobile app that connects users with similar body types and delivers a personalized feed of item, brand and store recommendations. READ MORE...

Luxury travel curated by cultural tastemakers
	Valet aims to appeal to the discerning traveler by offering a premium service including handpicked suggestions from city insiders. READ MORE...

International relocation made easier through new platform
	MOVE Guides is a UK-based site that aims to make the move from one country to another as simple as possible. READ MORE...

A new platform for crowdfunding tech innovation
	FundaGeek is a platform enabling those proposing technical innovation and research projects to get the backing they need to make them happen. READ MORE...

App enables mobile drinks ordering at recommended cocktail bars
	Coaster allows customers to order drinks on their smartphones, cocktail bars in San Francisco, acting as a curated recommendation service in the process. READ MORE...

iPad platform aims to replace the receptionist
	Reception Messenger hopes to deliver self-service administration, offering a way for office guests to check themselves in. READ MORE...

Self-medication for foot problems made possible through modular orthotics
	OrthoticMe offers modular parts to help people with foot problems to create their own solutions. READ MORE...

Smartphone notifications for any data desired
	Hero Button provides smartphone owners with notifications about any data they wish. READ MORE...

Our next issue will arrive in your inbox on 21 November.

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Springwise Weekly | This week's most exciting new business ideas

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Great stuff this week - check them all out!!

Hi,

Here is this week's Wise Words interview and, of course, your weekly dose of new business ideas:

Follow Springwise:

Mini satellite can create visible Morse code across the night sky
	The FITSAT-1, developed by researchers at the Fukuoka Institute of Technology in Japan, houses LEDs that can create a Morse code message that can be seen from earth. READ MORE...

Platform provides tools for young people to set up a business
	Bizinate helps bright young things to start selling their products and services online, with the option for parental input. READ MORE...

Trackable suitcase automatically follows its owner
	The hop! suitcase from Ideactionary is Bluetooth-enabled and can follow its owner around as well as being traceable when lost. READ MORE...

Airline offers trip abroad for voters who disagree with the presidential election outcome
	JetBlue's Election Protection 2012 campaign promises to fly voters out of the US if their candidate of choice does not win the presidency in November. READ MORE...

Open-source e-bike uses smartphone as on-board computer
	Urban mobility startup Velo is hoping to make an open-source computer-aided e-bike available to road users in the form of the Velo-1. READ MORE...

Toy and story kit aims to encourage girls to develop an interest in engineering
	GoldieBlox is a startup using building blocks and story books to engage girls with the practice of constructing spaces and objects. READ MORE...

Wise Words with Kris Hewitt
	We chat to the founder of coffee subscription service eightpointnine, which allows users to customize their own blends, about their first year of business. READ MORE...

In the Netherlands, hotel aims to offer complete holiday experience in one building
	Hotel Droog in the Netherlands now aims to provide the entire holiday experience in one building. READ MORE...

Urban farm and market encourages consumers to be involved in the growing process
	The Farmery aims to enable consumers to see how their food is grown as well as take part in the farming process themselves. READ MORE...

In San Francisco, site delivers high quality restaurant food to the door
	Caviar delivers meals from eateries which are highly rated on customer review site Yelp. READ MORE...

Taxi creates music based on the environment it is travelling through
	The Make The City Sound Better project has equipped a London black cab with the technology to create music for the passenger based on the locations they are passing through. READ MORE...

Clothing fabric recycled from landfill trash
	Vapor Apparel is launching its ECO Spin fabric which is made of recycled materials that are taken from landfill. READ MORE...

A gamified approach to finding real-world applications for scientific innovations
	UK-based Marblar aims to connect scientists and the entrepreneurial crowds to help brainstorm real-world applications for promising scientific research. READ MORE...

Soccer ball makes cash for charities when it is played with
	The Ludo ball monitors how often it is used and racks up points – transferable into donations – to enable players to give to charity. READ MORE...

Garden mirror tracks the sun to provide light where it's most needed
	The Wikoda Sunflower is the first domestic heliostat that helps owners reflect light in their garden towards the spots that need it most. READ MORE...

In Europe, project aims to add missing person info to 'Not found' pages
	The NotFound scheme is hoping to turn the web's 404 pages into a platform for alerting internet users to the continent's missing kids. READ MORE...

Our next issue will arrive in your inbox on 17 October.

You can also check out our daily posts, subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr.

Warm regards,

Chris Kreinczes
Managing Director
chrisk@springwise.com

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Life | if you're a ?, then ?

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:08:00 +0000

I saw that statement in reference to the following...

"If you are a writer, then write"

And I thought it just about summed up the dilemma most people have. Either they don't really know who they are, or they deny who they are - therefore, they aren't doing the things that would truly make them happy. You're thing could be anything - writing, acting, giving, painting, talking, teaching - and if you are not actively doing that thing, then you are not actively living your happiest life.

Think about it for just a second...what is the one that you have always done, that makes you happy? It's probably a big word - like "giving" or "teaching". That means to live your happiest life, you would have to "give" or "teach" - and to make the most money you can make, you'd have to do those things also. Now, teach is a big word, with lots of possibilities - you could be in the "teaching" profession like a school teacher or college professor, or you could teach something - through unconventional means - one-on-one or group settings. It could be any industry - all of them require some level of learning and teaching. You could help manage a training organization or do teaching seminars - there are hundreds or even thousands of possible combinations. But "teaching" is at the core.

So you need to think through those things, find that one big word that describes who you are and what you love to do, then investigate how to integrate that more into your life. Our goal should be to live our happiest life and not settle for what is handed to us.

Springwise Weekly | This week's most exciting new business ideas

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Look at these great ideas - where does it take your mind, how can you be more innovative!!

Here is your usual dose of new business ideas from around the world, as well as our Springwise top ten, which this times focuses on the best innovations from Toursim and Travel over the last 12 months:

Follow Springwise:

World Future Trends Summit – Save 20%
World Future Trends Summit, taking place October 15-17 in Conrad Miami, is where world visionaries gather to uncover the biggest trends that stand to have the greatest impact on the future of business. Be prepared for the deepest form of provocation through the application of foresight, in real time. Click here to find out more and save 20% with code FT12SPRINGWISE!

Top 10 ideas from Tourism and Travel over the last 12 months
	We've picked out our top ten Tourism & Travel articles from the last 12 months on Springwise, designed to provide entrepreneurs with plenty of fresh inspiration for the future. READ MORE…

Portable bottle can make beer on the go
	Pat's Backcountry Beverages has developed the Carbonator Bottle, which can be used with beer concentrate to enable ramblers to enjoy a drink in the open air. READ MORE…

Face paint for soldiers can protect against burns
	A team at the University of Southern Mississippi has created a heat-proof face paint, which will help soldiers avoid burns during explosions. READ MORE…

Free app lets parents create iPad games for their young kids
	TinyTap is a free app for the iPad that lets parents and kids turn their shared experiences into personal and educational games. READ MORE...

Platform alerts shoppers to discounts on items they want
	hukkster notifies its users when an item drops below a certain price online, enabling all consumers to make the most of discount periods. READ MORE...

In New York, roving van offers paternity tests on the spot
	Health Street's "Who's Your Daddy?" service gives parents and children the chance to find out where their blood ties really lie. READ MORE...

Sensors monitor hydroponic plants, offer feedback to gardeners
	The Bitponics sensor and data service is now making the process of keeping a hydroponic garden easier by monitoring plant conditions. READ MORE...

Virgin America offers voter registration at 35,000 feet
	Virgin America is offering passengers the chance to register for their presidential election vote during their flights. READ MORE…

From Japan, a device that helps disabled kids to move independently
	Researchers at the Polytechnic University in Tokyo have developed the Magic Carpet, a machine that enables young children with walking problems to experience moving around and become used to the wheelchairs they will eventually need to use. READ MORE...

In Canada, project offers food discounts for tiffin box users
	The Tiffin Project is hoping to reduce the number of disposable containers used by the takeaway industry as well as support local farmers in Vancouver. READ MORE...

Non-invasive anaemia sensor delivers results to any smartphone
	The HemoGlobe screening device, developed at the Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, is a sensor that can detect anaemia in patients and display the results on a smartphone, without the use of needles. READ MORE...

Spectators at re-enactment village get wifi access from donkeys
	Kfar Kedem in Israel is offering connectivity from the animals featured in the park, through its Wi Fi Donkeys service. READ MORE...

To find a new web designer, ad agency targets those pirating Adobe Creative Suite
	Ogilvy Brussels has targeted designers trying to get the latest version of Adobe Creative Suite through less-than-legal means in their new recruitment drive. READ MORE...

Ping-pong paddles given a designer touch
	A designer line of ping-pong paddles that has just reached its target amount on Kickstarter is intended to improve the sports' image. READ MORE...

Eco art doubles as a working beehive
	The Elevator B sculpture in Buffalo, New York, also provides a home for bees and aims to be part of an educational scheme to teach people about the importance of the ecosystem. READ MORE...

Gift-giving site hand-picks items tailored to the recipient
	Gift Owl is a UK venture that asks gift recipients to fill out a questionnaire outlining their taste and then finds suitable gifts accordingly. READ MORE...

Our next issue will arrive in your inbox on 12 September.

You can also check out our daily posts, subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr.

Warm regards,

Chris Kreinczes
Managing Director
chrisk@springwise.com

I'm going to write a book...

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 01:06:00 +0000

I decided that it's time to write a story about the #1 export of America - Entrepreneurship. In my opinion, the US has supported the world economy more through the way we export our ideas and business models, than by anything else. The world of high tech, telecommunications, bio-medicine, automobiles - are just a few of the areas we have created industries and embraced technologies to create new businesses, models, processes, and ideas.

But this story needs to be about the people that really drive the economy - those visionaries that drive new ideas, sometimes through sheer will and determiniation. Their belief in themselves and others is an inspiration to our country and our world. And their stories are rarely front page news - but the should be.

So, I'm going to write a book to tell their story and to help inspire other people - young and old - to get out there and take a chance. Express themselves through their ideas, through their creativity, through their belief in a better life for themselves, their families and their communities.

If you are a person that has started a business - regardless of financial success or failure - I want to talk to you. Leave a comment below or go to my LinkIn page (my email is there) and email me your contact information. We need to talk - because I want to hear your story.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for living your "Critical Assumption" daily!!

Trust | what is it about our economy?

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:44:00 +0000

I've been thinking about this for a while, but why isn't our economy "seeming" to get better - why is consumer confidence so low - yet, the stock market it up and interest rates are very low - so why?

My belief is it comes down to trust. We have daily reminders about how tough things are out there and how much things cost. All you have to do is drive down the street - wherever you go, there is a constant reminder - the price of gas. It goes up (and down) on a daily basis. And those times when you think "that was 10 cents cheaper yesterday, why did it go up?" - it reminds you that the last time you filled up it cost a bunch of money. So, now it will cost more. And if that's not enough, just go the grocery store. It amazes me everytime how much food has gone up, and it's still going up.

So, we see these things, it's evidence of our reality, the life we live today. And then if you hear one of our politicians talk, or the talking heads on the news channels, you wonder if they are living in the same world you live in. Do they struggle with the price of gas, of groceries? Why is their priority to "battle" rather than "solve" issues. Why are we having this debate - get something done for us today, so our lives get back on track. Pain is a today issue - and it appears there are few people that want to help with that pain.

And then, the companies we work for - most of in constant "resource balancing" initiatives. Meaning, you might be the resource they decide to rebalance - which only makes the price of gas and groceries (and all your other bills) seem higher and a burden.

Where's the trust, where's the faith? I suggest a grassroots movement to restore the faith. We can't rely on our politicians, the news casters, the pundits, the corporate executives to GIVE us faith, we have to just believe times will get better. Start to trust that in ourselves more, and those around us, the ones that really create the economy. We vote everyday with our dollars - with our purchases. Have trust and faith that we will overcome - it starts with us, individually. That's when things get better and not before.

Stories | what makes ideas come alive

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 14:18:00 +0000

I was talking with a man that has a big idea yesterday. He wants to change how we used social media - and to make it "work" it better for those business and organizations that can't afford to hire experts. I applaud his idea - but I told him he needed to start creating the "story" about how his idea will do what he "thinks" it can do.

Stories aren't about creating false impressions, they aren't about "marketing" or advertising - they are about people. And at the end of the day, it all comes down to people - what they do, what they think, how they feel.

We've all heard the saying "sell the sizzle, not the steak" - but I believe it has to go deeper than that - it has to go to the essence of "why you steak in the first place". What's the story there - can you help the "reader" see themselves in that story.

If you have a deep desire to change something, and a way to change it - then think through the story of how that can happen. Create a feeling, create the mood, create the motivation for some to say "Yea, I want that, I can see myself doing that (or buying that, whatever)". Create the story behind all the people involved - in the big idea I mentioned, there are multiple people that would benefit - they all have a story, write it for them

Stories are more important than you think - start thinking about the story-line you want to create and then start writing it.

Entrepreneurship | the backbone of our economy

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 01:15:00 +0000

One thing that is bugging me, and I'm going to be a bit more active on my blog than I have recently, because I believe this subject is important - is that right now, we aren't supporting Entrepreneurship enough in this country.

Startup, small business, new ideas - those are what will drive the economy, not support the an old, possibly outdated economic model. Small businesses, as a group, provide much needed support to any community - in fact, small towns that have a "corporation" presence, are usually worse off than those that have a strong, diverse small business community. The schools are better, the parks are better, the overall community has a completely different feel. You may or may see the affects in a large city, but you can see it in a small town.

I believe the billions spent to support the BIG financial institutions was money poorly invested by our government. The same companies that almost cratered us, are the ones that got billions - doesn't seem right. Those same billions could have put money right back into a thousands of small business, and incubated thousands of new idea - and created new jobs.

That's what I believe and that's what I'm going to start writing about. Entrepreneurship.

The ultimate critical assumption | Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 15:56:00 +0000

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence and set in motion a series of events that changed the world forever. The ripple effects of that action are being felt today, probably stronger than they were at the time. These mean signed with the clear knowledge they were actually signing a death warrant.

Think of that. Having the unmitigated gaul to stand up to something as big as the British Empire. Having that kind of commitment to an ideal, to something that may not even work out. I don't know if I've ever had that type of commitment to anything, that I would say "I believe in this, more than my own life". Now, we can be cynical about their motivations - and the motivations of those currently in political office. It seems we "know" too much about human nature to think anyone does anything that doesn't provide personal benefit.

But I would love the opportunity to reach back in time, for just a moment, to thank these men and shake their hands. The following are the names of the men that signed this Declaration of Independence, many of whom are unknown, faceless men that believed in something bigger than themselves.

I thank them now.

1. John Hancock

2. Josiah Bartlett

3. William Whipple

4. Matthew Thornton

5. Samuel Adams

6. John Adams

7. Robert Treat Paine

8. Elbridge Gerry

9. Stephen Hopkins

10. William Ellery

11. Roger Sherman

12. Samuel Huntington

13. William Williams

14. Oliver Wolcott

15. William Floyd

16. Philip Livingston

17. Francis Lewis

18. Lewis Morris

19. Richard Stockton

20. John Witherspoon

21. Francis Hopkinson

22. John Hart

23. Abraham Clark

24. Robert Morris

25. Benjamin Rush

26. Benjamin Franklin

27. John Morton

28. George Clymer

29. James Smith

30. George Taylor

31. James Wilson

32. George Ross

33. George Read

34. Caesar Rodney

35. Thomas McKean

36. Samuel Chase

37. William Paca

38. Thomas Stone

39. Charles Carroll of Carrollton

40. George Wythe

41. Richard Henry Lee

42. Thomas Jefferson

43. Benjamin Harrison

44. Thomas Nelson, Jr.

45. Francis Lightfoot Lee

46. Carter Braxton

47. William Hooper

48. Joseph Hewes

49. John Penn

50. Edward Rutledge

51. Thomas Heyward, Jr.

52. Thomas Lynch, Jr.

53. Arthur Middleton

54. Button Gwinnett

55. Lyman Hall

56. George Walton

I'm truly amazed...

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 01:24:00 +0000

Just how creative people really are. There are times I feel sorry for generations past that didn't have these opportunities to explore people, culture, arts, music. I am awed by the magnitude of it all. The distance between you and me is both miles away, and yet, right there next to me.
Share this with people. Share this wide world of beauty, of magnificence, of pain and sorrow, of absolute wonder.
Some of the things that are at your fingertips...

The greatest works of literature known to man
Stunning pictures of the awesome wonders from around the world
Inspirational speeches from some of the most motivational people in the world
Music from the famous, infamous and unknown
and of course you, your thoughts, feelings, fears, triumphs, and challenges.

It's all here - just think how terribly, awfully, wonderfully cool that really is - and we are here, now. All I can say is WOW.
the above picture [Coney Island Mermaid Parade 2012] is from an photographer named Vivienne Gucwa - I may be one of the best compositions I have seen - the colors, the scene, the shear happiness on her face.

Springwise Weekly | This week's most exciting new business ideas

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:47:00 +0000

Hi Arnie,

Here is your weekly dose of new business ideas, this week's Wise Words interview, and our Springwise top ten, which this month focuses on the best innovations from Eco and Sustainability over the last 12 months:

This edition of Springwise Weekly is sponsored by HighTable:

Follow Springwise:

MIT Sloan Management Review & HighTable Present: Dethroning an Established Platform

What can you do when a competitor has already established a leading platform? Learn from Apple's iPhone, Google's Gmail and Facebook — and how they overtook earlier market leaders. This complimentary PDF, a new article from the Summer issue of MIT Sloan Management Review, answers the question, "How can companies successfully challenge dominant platform players in technology markets?" Click here to download.

Top 10 ideas from Eco and Sustainability over the last 12 months
	We've picked out our top ten Eco & Sustainability articles from the last 12 months on Springwise, designed to provide entrepreneurs with plenty of fresh inspiration for the future. READ MORE…

Earth-orbiting satellite can be used by anyone
	ArduSat is preparing to launch a small satellite featuring Arduino circuit boards into space, enabling people to pay to run their own programs on it. READ MORE…

App enables sports fans to upgrade their tickets in-game
	Live sports fans who have spotted empty seats in a better location can now upgrade their tickets instantly with the Pogoseat app. READ MORE…

Browser extension signs users into websites only when they approach a computer
	Ford has collaborated with ad agency Ogilvy Paris to produce Keyfree Login, a browser extension that uses the proximity of a selected cell phone as a key to login to websites. READ MORE…

Contractors bid to install rooftop solar panels
	Gridbid is a site which sees quality contractors bid for the job of installing solar panels on people's roofs. READ MORE...

Software enables 180-degree pannable movies for the iPad
	Software startup Condition One has developed technology that lets anyone use existing cameras to create 180-degree pannable movies for the iPad. READ MORE...

Cardboard packaging includes directions for turning it into something new
	Dutch stroller manufacturer Joolz has printed instructions on the packaging of its products to encourage customers to turn the boxes into something new and useful. READ MORE…

App broadcasts location to contacts for the length of a phone call only
	Mapfia is harnessing GPS technology to let smartphone owners find out where their contacts are in the real world, while maintaining privacy. READ MORE...

Wise Words with Jonas Gam and Peder Burgaard
	Award-winning entrepreneurs Jonas Gam and Peder Burgaard share the thinking behind their interactive swing — Son-X Octavia. READ MORE...

Inflatable cast can be applied anywhere, and by anyone
	The Multiprotector is an inflatable device that serves much the same purpose as a plaster cast but can be quickly and easily applied anywhere and by anyone. READ MORE...

In Stockholm, hotel accepts artwork as payment for a night's stay
	The Clarion Hotel Stockholm has recently begun accepting artwork as payment from the artists who visit. READ MORE…

Collapsible backpack offers safer water transport in the developing world
	Greif launched the WaterWear backpack as a safer and more ecologically responsible alternative to their industrial containers that were being used as makeshift water-carrying vessels. READ MORE...

Faucet enables users to choose between cleaning and drinking water
	The Tyent USA Under Counter Extreme 9000T enables users to alter the levels of acidity or alkalinity of tap water with a one-touch process. READ MORE...

In Uruguay, an online platform for collaboration on Latin American films
	Based in Uruguay, LALA is a platform for movie makers, actors, directors, writers, musicians, film professionals and cinema lovers that aims to facilitate the creation and funding of Latin American films. READ MORE…

Triple-security pants are designed to foil pickpockets
	P^Cubed Travel Pants from New York-based Clothing Arts are designed specifically to keep pickpockets at bay. READ MORE…

Online marketplace uses video and tagging for interactive promotions
	VideoDeals is a Dutch site that lets sellers tap the power of videos and tagging to promote their products interactively. READ MORE…

From Japan, retailer's alarm clock app wakes users with music tailored to the weather
	Uniqlo Wake Up is a social alarm app from Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo that incorporates the current weather, time and day of the week into its wake-up music. READ MORE…

In the Age of Personal Branding...

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 02:01:00 +0000

Twitter is a great thing, you really never know when you might come across something that strike you as "worthy" of your time. But I clicked on a link and thought I'd share it....

Blog Post: 5 New Books that Every Marketer Should Read (that aren't about marketing) by Mitch Joel, CEO of Twisted Image. I like the blog post, but what really struck me was the blog layout/look/feel/design as much as anything. It really is engaging (more so than the design on this blog). I just really liked it and it drew me in, so I clicked on a few links. Very cool stuff.

And Mitch is really throwing his "brand" out there - along with his companies, but it's really him that is presented here -and the name of the blog is pretty cool too. Enjoy!

Does BIG really mean Better?

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 00:28:00 +0000

As with most blog articles, this is my opinion only...that being said, my opinion right now is that BIG (meaning very large, corporate multi-national companies) is loosing it's advantage in today's economy. Here are some of my ideas about that:

1. In many of today's businesses, the barrier to entry is much smaller than it used to be - even in capital intensive businesses (mostly because capital is cheap right now). But truly in the world of "knowledge" working and information technology - there is really an opportunity for someone with a good idea to get it developed and out in the market - with a limited amount of start up capital. And there are even ways to broadcast your idea to get "funded".

There is also another thing that eliminates this barrier to entry - one again in technology services - and that is that there are lots of BIG companies willing to sell their over capacity of "things technology". Case in point, Amazon created AWS (Amazon Web Services) as a way to leverage their technology infrastructure - basically, they had too much for about 10 months of the year (remember they are a retail organization at the very core). So the "rented" out compute and storage to people/companies for a pennies. Many of them were programmers and wanted to see if their services would take off before committing to buying their own servers and storage - it because a form of "self funding". But once again, AWS helped lower the bar of entry for many companies providing software and services.

2. Money is cheap. I'm not a financial whiz like those on Wall Street and won't begin to explain collateralization of loans. But, when money is cheap, it makes it much easier to enter markets that require capital - and right now, money is near zero to borrow (in comparative terms). Also, when money is cheap, those that have it and are will to lend it are looking for "ventures" that will produce better results - which usually relates to risk, but when money is Zero, risk is relative. The reason this has not be the windfall it should be, is there are plenty of people gunshy right now. And as Baby Boomers go into retirement, they want more security (and less risk) - but they also want returns of more than 1% or less - basic Catch-22.

Right now, BIG and SMALL can borrow at about the same rate. But, in the world of investments, SMALL represents a bigger up side than BIG. So, where would you put your money?

3. The next generation of consumers do not care about the old brands - there are fewer of them that really matter to them. They have grown up with hundreds of TV stations, music at the their fingertips, entertainment on game consoles, texting, Facebook. They don't consume the same way as the Baby Boomers - and could care less. They are both brand conscience and uncaring at the same time. They help build "brands" then tear them down just for the fun of it. And they are more fractured than ever. Niche upon Niche. There are few BIGs that hold up to that pressure - Apple is one, but there aren't many others.

I don't know what will happen next, I just don't believe that BIG is the answer - or at least BIG and unfocused. It requires an attitude of companies willing to "eat their young". To survive, you have to have an attitude of fast failure - because you can't allow yourself to be too much in love with anything you are doing today - because it can change on a dime. The new economy will be brutal and unforgiving. Companies will rise and fall faster than ever before. Products and Services will be here today, and gone tomorrow - because we are not living at light speed and there will be lots of causalities.

Simply Amazing....

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Sun, 06 May 2012 18:46:00 +0000

There are times when I just sit back in wonder about all the things that have become everyday items that were not around when I was growing up. Here are just a few very obvious ones...

Smart Phones. These have really become personal communication and computing devices - because let's get real, they do a lot more than just allow us to make a phone call. I remember the first really cool "mobile" phone I saw - it was about 1988/9 and it was a phone in a briefcase - big, clunky and the height of gadget cool at the time. I bet most people under the age of 25 would say that they would have a hard time "living" without their phones today.
Entertainment (music, movies and TV). When I was 18, I had just purchased my first 19" color TV and along with my Technics receiver, Technics turntable and Bose bookshelf speakers - I was set for life in the dorm room. My music setup was perfect (of course, we still didn't have cable or even VHS tape players yet). At every turn, I was buying more stuff to keep up - first the tape deck, then the TV upgrade to stereo, then the stereo VHS, then the CD player, then the DVD, etc. And that doesn't even speak to the expense of either buying music or movies (at least you could rent movies). Today, there are millions of music tracks, TV shows, movies and books available with just a click of a mouse. And they are consumable either in an "audience" setting (in your living room) or a personal setting (on your phone or tablet).
Social Interaction. I really don't know what else to call it. Today, it is possible to have an online discussion with someone that is at the top of their field (and sometimes not even know it) from anywhere in the world. Also, you can be instantly "known" around the world, truly becoming an overnight sensation. That was not possible when I was growing up. You might be lucky enough to know someone - or someone you knew, knew someone. But the only real way to have any interaction with them was either the phone or postal mail. Even in the the early days of internet communications, email could speed things up, but you still had to "know" someone (or be really good at research). With the social networks today, you can find someone, and be "connected" within minutes. Sure, private people are still that, and it's not like you can meet them in person - but it is much easier to have a chat (even if only virtually) with these people. You may not become best friends, but you can interact. And for most people under 25, this is how they communicate. Short bursts of communications - speaking through game consoles - through a few characters of text, acronyms or symbols.

These are just a few of the advancements (or not, depending on your personal opinion). All I can say is Amazing.

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tug of War | the battle between hardware & software

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:40:00 +0000

The battle has really been waging for years - which is better at performance, which really drives innovation. The hardware guys like to point out that "without hardware, and the advances of optimization, virtualization and performance of the full hardware chain (servers, storage, network) there would be no advances in software". And of course, the comeback from software is "it's must pipes-n-sewers, software drives what we do with it, without software, hardware is just a pile of junk".

And so the war wages on. Cloud has done nothing to slow down this war, in fact, it has added fuel to the fire. Where would be we be without fast processors, switching and storage...and where would be without the applications that take full advantage of this hardware, turning a single "machine" into a dozen?

So who is really pushing who - or is it really a tug of war - both sides pulling against each other? And what happens in a tug of war if one side lets go? The other side falls down. The key with our Hardware versus Software battle is to keep up a high level tension, without one side being too strong. We don't want a winner in this war, we want an ongoing competitive struggle, between the forces of hardware and software - we need the battle to continue to wage, for both sides to have a sense of "being able to win" along with an underlying dose of "but I might loose".

It's a balance. One side can get slightly ahead, but never too far. The other side, then needs to rise to the challenge. If this world of technology ever gets out of balance, it will be because the advances of either the hardware or software has gone too far.

Context...the missing ingredient

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:16:00 +0000

The most important thing to understand about customer expectations is that they're defined by context.

Have you ever had an experience with a business and said "I'm never buying anything from them again!!". I'm sure you have, in fact everyone has that experience. The reason you feel that way is because they missed your expectations. You thought or believed one thing about the company and they delivered something completely different.

For example, if you go your doctor because you have a severe cold and he tells you to loose 20 pounds and exercise more - you're probably going to be confused. Your expectation was determined by two very important things: (1) you're sick [which was the context for going to the doctor] and (2) you expect him to provide some immediate answers on how to get well. If he does neither - then you'll be a little bent at the doctor.

Another example...you see an advertisement for a new restaurant, the atmosphere looks great, the food looks great, everyone appears to be enjoying themselves. So you go to check it out. When you arrive, you are the only one in the place, it's dark and shabby looking, and the food is terrible [along with the service]. Well your expectation was created by the advertising - they created what ended up being a fantasy. Your context will be much different the next time you see any advertising by them or if you hear their name mentioned in casual conversation. And probably in the meantime, you will tweet, facebook, yelp, urban spoon, etc. them to get your point across - that they did not meet your expectation (in fact, they lied to you through their advertisement).

My point is that as business people, we need to understand the context and support customer expectations as much as possible. Not that you want to say "look, my place is a dump and the food is lousy" - but you might want to lay off the advertising until you get your place spruced up a bit. Set expectations that are just a bit below what you are going to deliver - then you can hit the market and exceed expectations. That's much better than missing.

Tablets | Now I get it...

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:57:00 +0000

Sometimes it takes this old dog a little bit of time to figure things out, but last night while watching ESPN's Sports Center, I finally got the importance of tablets for businesses (sports teams in this instance). There was a comment made by one of the people behind the desk about tablets being used as replacements for NFL team playbooks. That the application would push all kinds of content to the players - including video/game film.

So, you replace an old paper based playbook, with an interactive tool, that can be updated at anytime (never goes out of date). And it allows more that just one thing to be "pushed" to the users - email, notices, video (that is relevant), animations, even discussions could be had either through boards, chat, or video. Seems to be a fairly good step up from the paper based system. Now, the reality, this could have been accomplished without the tablet - via a laptop - with all the same functionality and portability. But, sometimes new and sexy win. Form over function type of thing.

Now, if the NFL can embrace this brave new world, and replace a aging, but time-tested system, what can other do? I believe this is a brave new world. With an almost endless variety of ways to create new and better ways to tackle problems.

Here's some further reading on what the NFL is doing with tablets....Google Search.

Supporting Free Speech | Rush Limbaugh and His Advertisers

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:38:00 +0000

I just read one of my email newsletters, talking about how both Polycom and Citrix have decided to pull their advertising on the Rush Limbaugh radio show. I believe in both cases, the companies were running ads "as part of their overall strategy" as opposed to specifically on the Rush Limbaugh show - but radio is strange, because buying nationally for radio is an art (with a bit of science sprinkled in there).

Now, this all starts and ends the recent furor created by the Mr. Limbaugh's diatribe aimed at a Georgetown University law student, during which he called her a "slut" and a "prostitute." Now, regardless of how anyone feels about those comments - most people in this country support his right to say whatever he feels is necessary. This is one of the primary tenants of our American society and democracy - Free Speech. And for his target audience, they applaud and cheer his more controversial comments - they love it. And those that don't care for his message, if he said "Good Morning" to them, they'd find fault with it. Personally, I don't listen, and don't care about his opinion - but I support his right to take to the air waves and espouse it.

Now, for Polycom and Citrix, it's a bit different. They are caught between the proverbial rock and hard spot. These are commercial entities, not people. They sell products and services into the market across a wide variety of "companies and people". And they as such, they have to remain a bit more neutral with regard to social issues, because issue may be black and white, but their customer's viewpoints are a bit more "shades of grey". Now I support their move to eliminate support for Rush Limbaugh's radio program - because at the end of the day, it is their marketing budget to spend wherever they feel it does the most good.

So, for Rush Limbaugh, there are have been consequences - he lost a few advertisers (I'm sure he's OK with that). For Citrix and Polycome (and probably others), they are choosing to spend their advertising in some other place.

But what gets me going - and while I support Free Speech and Free Enterprise, I have a real problem with the people that get all upset with companies making a business decision to not support a radio show (which is another company). That is their right, and does not mean they have "cratered" to public opinion. They made a business decision, just as Rush Limbaugh did when he went on his rant. At the end of the day, I support all parties involved...

I support Mr. Limbaugh in his right to free speech - whether I agree with it or not
I support the decisions made by Citrix and Poloycom to spend their marketing dollars where they believe they will do the most good
I support those misguided individuals in their ability to comment on all the above.
And of course, I support my own rights to agree or disagree with all the above.

That's the beauty of living in this country - we can agree, disagree and debate - but we should also support those that have differing views. Because it's a very slippery slope when we want to censor someone, or something. Because it's always hard to determine where we will stop.

For more info, here's some reading on Facebook...

see the Citrix post (and the hundreds of responses)
see the Polycom post (and its responses)

Generations of technology users...

noreply@blogger.com (amckinnis) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:44:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to help my mom this weekend get her computer up and running (and not a new computer, but one that is about 8 years old). She wanted to get connected to the internet again, and that meant moving her from a wired connection to a wireless connection. OK, no problem there, just plug in a Wifi USB adapter and we're done (well almost, but it took a bit longer than that).

But I don't want to write about her PC, I wanted to write about her perception. My mom is used to "computers" - she had been around them when she worked as a newspaper publisher for a local telephone cooperative. But she had a problem with relating to the "available anywhere" concept. She kept worrying that her email would not be on her PC, because she has been using my sister's computer for last couple years. I kept reassuring her that her email was not in the PC, but was "out there" on the internet. She never actually got the concept, but accepted my explanation and assurances.

This really isn't too much different than discussions I've had with co-workers about "cloud" computing. Where is the cloud? and why should I trust it to handle my business? Good questions - because the Cloud is nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Google for instance, doesn't really "backup" your Gmail account, it just has it multiple locations on their infrastructure - I've heard that it has six instances of it - but the number does not matter. It's the fact that I don't worry about where it is, or how I access it, it's just there. With my phone, my laptop at work, my laptop at home, my tablet - I have access to Gmail.

That's the concept that my mom had a problem with - that it resides "out there" not "in here". To her, it was not a concept she easily grasps. But on the other hand, my son of twelve, doesn't question where the data is - to him, it's not something to worry about. Where the data resides is the least of his worries - and even the concept of backing up data is foreign. The closest he comes to this issue is converting his purchased iTunes music to MP3 so he can download to his phone (because he uses an Android phone, not an iPod or iPhone). But that is starting to be a non issue, because he also listens to music via YouTube, Rhapsody and Pandora - which once again just provides the music regardless of "where" you are.

The world is changing, And the concepts of computing and technology are changing on a daily basis. The limits we had a two decades, or even two days ago, on how we use computers/smart devices is being turn upside down and all around. It's both exciting and daunting at the same time. Who knows where we will be in a couple years - the pace of change is accelerating - and it will only get faster.