There is No GPS for Innovation
OK, after 2 weeks of sleep deprivation due to manuscript deadlines, I am now back in action here. The final version of the manuscript went to the publisher on Saturday. I then played Personality Poker in Memphis with nearly 100 representatives from Penguin’s gift sales on Sunday. These individuals sell books into non-traditional bookstores, […]
Is Your Organization Anorexic?
The President of a $1 billion company once asked me to describe his organization in one word. My response? “Anorexic.” The Vice Presidents who sat around the table nodded in agreement. They assumed that I meant there was no fat left to cut. That is not what I meant. Anorexics often have relatively “high” body […]
Is Your Career Doomed? Mine Might Be.
I spend most of my days thinking about the “innovation bell curve.” The concept is simple, yet profound. Budget brands will continue to prosper as mid-market consumers move left to save money. Although premium brands may suffer slightly, there will still be strong demand for high-end products and services. It is the middle of the […]
EVA, SVA, and the Economy
While at Accenture, one of our analytical tools was Shareholder Value Analysis (SVA) – a tool based on Economic Value Added. The premise is that by looking at a company’s financials, we can determine where to best target our innovation efforts. The analysis can show us, for example, if reducing SG&A will have a greater […]
Johnny Cupcakes
What do T-shirts and cupcakes have in common? A guy by the name of Johnny. Today I spoke at an event for the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). They are an amazing organization that teaches entrepreneurship to high school kids, many of whom are in the inner city. I did a breakout session for […]
Why Aren't You More Successful?
A friend of mine is a fantastic freelance writer. After telling her how great she is, she asked, “So if I’m that good, how come I’m not working now? Tough market out there.” Yes, it is a tough market. But I suspect that is not the reason she can’t find work. She has fallen into […]
Innovation Articles I am Reading
Today, I am catching up on some bookmarked innovation articles. I will provide commentary on these in the near future. Does Obama Need a Department of Innovation? (NYT) Innovation at Kraft (USA Today) Electric Car Innovation is Not Coming Out of Detroit (NYT) Why Movies Disappear from iTunes and Netflix (Wired) Innovation for Hard Times […]
Making Your Products/Services Affordable and Accessible
One of my last blog entries discussed the need to create affordable and accessible solutions to stay competitive. Given globalization, cheap labor, and a damaged economy, this makes more sense than ever. Here are three starter questions to ask to help you generate new ideas: How can you productize a service? One way to make […]
Predicting the Next Meltdown
I just got back from over two weeks on the road. I was in and out of five airports. As you go through security, the routine is always the same… – Take off your shoes – Take out your liquids – Take out your computer Why are we put through these security gymnastics? On December […]
Remembering Paul Newman
Although I did not know Paul Newman personally, I always admired him. He was an Academy Award winning actor (I remember being enthralled by “The Sting” as a kid), a championship race car driver, a successful food business man (I love Newman’s Own dressings and salsas) and a philanthropist. He achieved so much and impacted so many lives. […]