Video Link
Background: 1969, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
(CPB) was in danger of getting their funding cut in half by
Nixon because of war costs.
So the CPB calls in Mr. Rogers to testify before the Senate.
Amazingly, as he starts talking you feel the same way I do:
What alien from the NeverNeverLand Nursery just landed here?
As you listen you realize, this guy is for real. Disarmingly real.
He delivers an emotional 6-minute pitch. Watch the effect he
has on John O. Pastore, notoriously gruff and impatient.
You never see marketing messages quite like this one, but
boy, did it work."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a41lJIhW7fA
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Fwd: Mister Rogers earns $20 million in 6 minutes (This one's a gem)
Posted on 10:01 by Unknown
Friday, 17 August 2007
The Hummer and the Model-T
Posted on 10:08 by Unknown
True Story:
A couple of months ago, Forbes Magazine sponsored an off-road race over hilly terrain between a 1921 Ford Model-T and a Hummer.
Guess which won?
The Model-T kicked the Hummer’s butt!
The Model-T was designed with rugged, ingenious simplicity, for a time when America did not have a lot of roadway.
Moral(s) of the Story:
They don't make 'em like they used to
Less is More
Keep It Simple
A couple of months ago, Forbes Magazine sponsored an off-road race over hilly terrain between a 1921 Ford Model-T and a Hummer.
Guess which won?
The Model-T kicked the Hummer’s butt!
The Model-T was designed with rugged, ingenious simplicity, for a time when America did not have a lot of roadway.
Moral(s) of the Story:
They don't make 'em like they used to
Less is More
Keep It Simple
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
Novelists and Financial Planners...
Posted on 10:05 by Unknown
"As a novelist, I tell stories, and people give me money.
Then financial planners tell me stories, and I give them money."
-- Martin Cruz Smith
Then financial planners tell me stories, and I give them money."
-- Martin Cruz Smith
Rapper 50 Cent's Recent Business Windfall
Posted on 09:49 by Unknown
Previously, I wrote how hip hop artists now value business success as much as music success.
Curtis Jackson (aka 50 Cent) used his rapping skills and thug image to build a business empire with investments from sneakers to video games.
He creatively made a deal with the drink company Glaceau to sell a flavor of Vitamin Water named after him (Formula 50). In exchange, he took an equity stake in the company.
One year ago, he told Forbes magazine that the label had promise and could one day get bought out by Coke.
Well, it happened. Recently Forbes has a follow up article saying that Coca Cola bought Glaceau for $4.1 billion. 50 Cent pocketed $100 million.
Curtis Jackson (aka 50 Cent) used his rapping skills and thug image to build a business empire with investments from sneakers to video games.
He creatively made a deal with the drink company Glaceau to sell a flavor of Vitamin Water named after him (Formula 50). In exchange, he took an equity stake in the company.
One year ago, he told Forbes magazine that the label had promise and could one day get bought out by Coke.
Well, it happened. Recently Forbes has a follow up article saying that Coca Cola bought Glaceau for $4.1 billion. 50 Cent pocketed $100 million.
Thursday, 9 August 2007
100 Free Resources for Entrepreneurs
Posted on 08:04 by Unknown
The Bootstrapper blog recently published a great article called "The Poor Entrepreneur's Toolset: 100 Freebies for Bootstrappers".
This is a very good and useful set of resources. I think it would benefit not only small and part-time business owners, but anybody who has to pay bills, juggle household expenses, etc.
This is a very good and useful set of resources. I think it would benefit not only small and part-time business owners, but anybody who has to pay bills, juggle household expenses, etc.
Organizing Libertarians Like Herding Cats?
Posted on 07:55 by Unknown
Yesterday, I saw a Clarence Page column in the Chicago Tribune about how Ron Paul is popular on the net, but the media doesn't notice.
I thought you might find this observation interesting:
"Judging by my contacts with Paul promoters - in person and through e-mails - they seem to be largely young, mail, independent-minded, leave-us-alone libertarians who like Paul's tiny-government agenda.
Which leads to another reason why I think Paul faces trouble in moving his campaign to the next level of public attention: organization. You can't win political campaigns without it, but organizing libertarians is about as easy as herding cats. Angry cats."
I thought you might find this observation interesting:
"Judging by my contacts with Paul promoters - in person and through e-mails - they seem to be largely young, mail, independent-minded, leave-us-alone libertarians who like Paul's tiny-government agenda.
Which leads to another reason why I think Paul faces trouble in moving his campaign to the next level of public attention: organization. You can't win political campaigns without it, but organizing libertarians is about as easy as herding cats. Angry cats."
Monday, 6 August 2007
Flipping Products Instead of Houses
Posted on 15:23 by Unknown
In the latest Carnival of Bootstrapping Entrepreneurs, there is an interesting article called "Flip This Product".
It talks about taking the idea from house flipping, and apply it to products. So, instead of a house, you want to buy generic products cheaply, spruce them up, and resell them for a profit.
The advantage over house flipping is that, while each home is unique with different costs, the product can be sourced at a stable price over and over again.
Related to this, the article also has links to two articles on the general idea of starting your business by taking generic commodity products, and customizing it for a niche market.
When you think of this - it is a powerful idea.
There is the example of the company that took generic whiteboards, but then customized the display with charts and boxes for nursing applications. Then, they don't have to compete with the big boys who dominate blank whiteboards.
This can be done for websites too. Maybe find a website concept that is good, but then maybe you can see where it can be modified to make it more useful to a particular niche.
It talks about taking the idea from house flipping, and apply it to products. So, instead of a house, you want to buy generic products cheaply, spruce them up, and resell them for a profit.
The advantage over house flipping is that, while each home is unique with different costs, the product can be sourced at a stable price over and over again.
Related to this, the article also has links to two articles on the general idea of starting your business by taking generic commodity products, and customizing it for a niche market.
When you think of this - it is a powerful idea.
There is the example of the company that took generic whiteboards, but then customized the display with charts and boxes for nursing applications. Then, they don't have to compete with the big boys who dominate blank whiteboards.
This can be done for websites too. Maybe find a website concept that is good, but then maybe you can see where it can be modified to make it more useful to a particular niche.
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Cool Word of the Day
Posted on 14:05 by Unknown
Today's "cool word of the day" is kanso.
A key tenet of the Zen aesthetic is kanso or simplicity. In the kanso concept beauty, grace, and visual elegance are achieved by elimination and omission.
A key tenet of the Zen aesthetic is kanso or simplicity. In the kanso concept beauty, grace, and visual elegance are achieved by elimination and omission.
Failing at Internet Marketing? Get Off All Those Guru Email Lists!
Posted on 10:40 by Unknown
I recently signed up for a membership at the Smart Business Formula site. This site, operated by online entrepreneurs Winston Yap and Thomas Choo, has a collection of free tools, resources, and videos on internet marketing.
On the site, they have an 9 video "Introduction to Internet Marketing" series. I almost skipped the intro videos, because I thought it would be the same old stuff. But, so far, I've watched the first two videos and I was surprised - This is not the same old stuff!
On the first video, they showed actual hyped-up websites that prey on newbie marketers. They then tore into these websites, and showed how common sense says that their claims are over-blown. I have never seen other "gurus" taking shots at actual sites. They always seem to be in a fraternity.
But, I really liked the second video. They gave two reasons why people fail at internet marketing. I kind of figured out the first reason, and the video had me nodding in agreement as they discussed it.
But the second reason - which is kind of the root cause of the first reason - surprised me! It is a great observation of human nature.
1. Information Overload - They said that the typical newbie marketer spends their time reading info from gurus and ordering products - instead of taking action. They end up on many guru email lists with a lot of information products sitting on their hard drive.
They buy a product to help them build their website. Then, just before it is finished, they get an offer for another product. They think the product may be useful sometime, so they buy it and download it to their hard drive. So it goes - they end up buying and collecting products, instead of taking action.
2. Thinking Like An Employee - I didn't see this one coming - but it is a brilliant observation! We are used to being employees - with its security and certainty.
For example, if you are a web designer for a company, your boss tells you what to design, and you are guaranteed a paycheck at the end of the month. Well, if you are designing a website for your own internet business, you have to make all the design decisions, and there is no guarantee that you will earn any money at the end of the month.
Since internet marketing features uncertainty and insecurity, at the end of the day, most marketing newbies unconsiously give up the boss role. The guru become the boss, and the marketer becomes the employee.
The marketing guru is seductive because he/she (seemingly) offers security and guarantees. Like a boss, they seem to be telling you what to do and what you will get. The marketer is in his "comfort zone" as an employee.
The problem, of course, is that the guru is not your boss. - He is a marketer trying to make a sale to you.
The second video concludes by suggesting that, instead of listening to gurus, it's better to get out of your employee "comfort zone" by focusing on enjoying the experience of internet marketing, rather than money - which will cause you stress.
They then compare internet marketing with learning to ride a bicycle, driving, or cooking. Even with a mentor guiding you, you will fall down.
Also, like riding a bike, you will only learn through developing experience and intuition. You have to develop abilities like intuitively evaluating products for money making potential. There are no shortcuts.
In conclusion, I really recommend that you get a membership at the Smart Business Formula site, and watch the videos.
On the site, they have an 9 video "Introduction to Internet Marketing" series. I almost skipped the intro videos, because I thought it would be the same old stuff. But, so far, I've watched the first two videos and I was surprised - This is not the same old stuff!
On the first video, they showed actual hyped-up websites that prey on newbie marketers. They then tore into these websites, and showed how common sense says that their claims are over-blown. I have never seen other "gurus" taking shots at actual sites. They always seem to be in a fraternity.
But, I really liked the second video. They gave two reasons why people fail at internet marketing. I kind of figured out the first reason, and the video had me nodding in agreement as they discussed it.
But the second reason - which is kind of the root cause of the first reason - surprised me! It is a great observation of human nature.
1. Information Overload - They said that the typical newbie marketer spends their time reading info from gurus and ordering products - instead of taking action. They end up on many guru email lists with a lot of information products sitting on their hard drive.
They buy a product to help them build their website. Then, just before it is finished, they get an offer for another product. They think the product may be useful sometime, so they buy it and download it to their hard drive. So it goes - they end up buying and collecting products, instead of taking action.
2. Thinking Like An Employee - I didn't see this one coming - but it is a brilliant observation! We are used to being employees - with its security and certainty.
For example, if you are a web designer for a company, your boss tells you what to design, and you are guaranteed a paycheck at the end of the month. Well, if you are designing a website for your own internet business, you have to make all the design decisions, and there is no guarantee that you will earn any money at the end of the month.
Since internet marketing features uncertainty and insecurity, at the end of the day, most marketing newbies unconsiously give up the boss role. The guru become the boss, and the marketer becomes the employee.
The marketing guru is seductive because he/she (seemingly) offers security and guarantees. Like a boss, they seem to be telling you what to do and what you will get. The marketer is in his "comfort zone" as an employee.
The problem, of course, is that the guru is not your boss. - He is a marketer trying to make a sale to you.
The second video concludes by suggesting that, instead of listening to gurus, it's better to get out of your employee "comfort zone" by focusing on enjoying the experience of internet marketing, rather than money - which will cause you stress.
They then compare internet marketing with learning to ride a bicycle, driving, or cooking. Even with a mentor guiding you, you will fall down.
Also, like riding a bike, you will only learn through developing experience and intuition. You have to develop abilities like intuitively evaluating products for money making potential. There are no shortcuts.
In conclusion, I really recommend that you get a membership at the Smart Business Formula site, and watch the videos.
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